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THE 

SECOND PART 

OF THE 

CLERGYMAN'S AND PEOPLE'S 

REMEMBEA1CE1 % 

CONTAINING 

A BRIEF DELINEATION 

OF THE 

TRUE CHRISTIAN'S CHARACTER, 

AS EXHIBITED BY HIM IN THOSE VARIOUS RELATIONS 
IN LIFE IN WHICH 

DIVINE PROVIDENCE 

HATH PLACED HIM. 



MY WILLIAM PERCY, D. JD, 



This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they 
which have believed in God might be cartful to maintain good works. These things ar«* 
good and profitable unto men, Titus, 3. 8. 



BALTIMORE . 

PRINTED BY a. DOBBIN & MURPHY, FOR GOALE & THOMAS, 
No, 176, BALTIMORE-STREET, 

1809. 



,n\ 






INTRODUCTION. 



CHRISTIAN READER, 

Through the mirror of the sacred Scriptures, I intreat 
you carefully and piously to survey the portrait or brief 
delineation of the christian character, drawn by a candid 
and impartial hand, in the following pages. 

The aim and design of the writer has t>een to sketch 
the character not of a christian only in name and by pro- 
fession, because born in a christian country, as has too 
frequently been affirmed and even taken for granted : 
but of one who is a christian in heart, in sincerity, and 
in truth. In all other cases it is universally admitted, 
that names can never be substituted for things. It must 
equally be granted, in the concerns of God, the soul, 
and religion. It is impossible, in the reason and nature 
of things, to substitute the christian name as sufficient 
to constitute the true christian character. Light and 
darkness are not more opposite, nor the east and west 
more distant, than the name of a christian and its divine 
reality are contrary to and clearly distinguished from 
each other. The holy Apostle, with great precision of 
judgment, marks the difference between the one and the 
other, in his apostolic advice and command given in his 
excellent letter to his beloved son, in the faith, Timothy ; 
when he informs him of some, who had the form of god- 
liness, but denied the power thereof. He suggests the 
same idea and inculcates the same truth, in his epistle to 
the Romans, " He is not a Jew, says he, that is one out- 
wardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in 
the flesh ; But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and 
circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in 
the letter ; whose praise is not of men, but of God" (Rom 



iv. INTRODUCTION. 

2. 28, 29.) In like manner, and by the same just ana- 
logy of reasoning, he is not a christian who is one out- 
wardly, in name only ; neither is that baptism which is 
outward, with water. But he is a christian, who is one 
inwardly, and baptism is that of the spirit, and not of wa- 
ter only ; whose \ raise is not of men, but of God. Not- 
withstanding the scriptures and our church speak, upon 
this point, in so clear and decisive a tone of language, 
it cannot be denied, that by far the greater part cf what 
is called the christian world satisfy themselves with 
the mere outward name and appendages of Christianity, 
and rest contented with the bare shadow of religion or 
form of godliness instead of is vital influence, life-giving 
and transforming power. But I wish the candid reader 
of these ages to be assured, that such an unmeaning ap- 
pearance and outward semblance o? ?:od\\ness will no more 
constitute either him or her a christian or insure final 
ha piness, tha:^ the Jews were proved to be the true and 
faithful followers of the God of Abraham, because they 
cried, " The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, 
are we:" when so far from it, that our Lord charges 
them with gross hypocrisy, in drawing nigh unto God 
with their mouths, and honoring him with their lips, — 
while they carefully removed their hearts far from him : 
and denounces their doom in the severest terms. (Mat. 
23.) Nor will the final doom of mere nominal christ- 
ians be less severe, who have made up their minds to 
substitute the shadow for the substance, the name for the 
thing itself ; and are verily determined to rest easy and 
completely satisfied about the safety of their state, with- 
out " the power of godliness." For the kingdom of God 
is not in word but in power; and this kingdom of God 
comcth not with observation, with outward show, parade, 
pomp, or splendor, as the greek word intimates ; but " the 
kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17. 20, 21.) 



INTRODUCTION. v. 

I have therefore to request that every class of my rea- 
ders will deliberate-) and candidly weigh, with their bi- 
bles and prayer-books before them, the force of truth 
contaii ed in this essay. And if, upon an honest and un- 
biassed examination, they find the view of the christian 
character given in :t to be agreeable to the analogy of 
the christian faith, and consonant with the experience of 
christians in all ages ; let them, on this twofold ground 
of the whole evidence brought forward, examine and 
faithfully enquire whether they have been thus taught by 
the spirit of God, and, in consequence of this " wisdom 
and divine teaching from above," are become in the 
Lord's sight, not only christians in name and by profes r 
sion, but in deed and in truth. It will be happy for 
that christian reader, whose judgment is so sound and 
we]] established in thepure doctrines of that "faith once 
delivered to the saints ;'' and whose whole life, in conse- 
quence thereof, is so brought under its moral influence, 
as to " adorn the doctrine of God his Saviour in all 
things." This alone will afford him a solid, scriptural, 
and well-grounded hope of eternal happiness and bliss in 
a better state of being, or assure his heart of the favor 
of God in Christ, and the enjoyment of his presence for 
ever in glory. 



THE 

SECOND PART 

OF THE 

CLERGYMAN'S AND PEOPLES 

REMEMBRANCER : 



IN the first part of this Essay I have directed the at- 
tention of the christian reader to the consideration and 
contemplation of the parochial Clergyman's character ; 
who has taken upon him the care of a Parish, with the 
charge and burden of all the souls committed of God to 
his trust and oversight, as the faithful steward of his di- 
vine master. 

In this delineation of his clerical character, I have ta- 
ken a particular view of his state, his life, and the general 
ienor of his whole conduct, as it respects his own spi- 
ritual condition — the pure doctrines of the reformation, as 
the standard doctrines of our ancient and apostolic church, 
and as perfectly consonant with the sacred scriptures — his 
conscientious regard to all his closet duties, and prepara- 
tory studies — his affectionate and faithful attention to all 
the varied branches of his ministerial employ, whether 
private or public — his paternal regard to the best and 
eternal interests of his own family — and his general con- 
duct in all the various walks of life. 

But I have laid special stress on the first part of his 
high and important character, I mean the sound and real 



8 

conversion of his own soul to God. I have given greater 
weight, as to the absolute necessity of this change ; under 
the deep and solemn impression, that where a minister's 
own heart is not savingly converted unto God, he will 
feel, generally speaking, no serious and affectionate con- 
cern for the true conversion of the souls of his parishion- 
ers. For if, independent of his own conversion, he en- 
courages himself, on the ground of his regular attention 
to relative and moral duties, with the assured hope of 
heaven ; it is but natural to suppose he will also encou- 
rage his people on the same fallacious and unscriptural 
ground ; whereas our Lord, in his ever memorable and 
interlocutory discourse with the learned Nicodemus, 
.affirms, with a note of double asseveration, " that except 
a man be born again of water and of the spirit, he can- 
not" [enter into) or, " see the kingdom of God." 

In entering now upon the second part of this Essay, I 
shall claim the reader's candid and pious attention, while 
I take an impartial and equal view of the character of 
the true and sincere christian, or of the genuine disciple 
of Christ, whose hope, being xvdl founded, runs high in 
the real and certain pr ospect of future giory. 

I shall consider the serious chrisitan in a threefold 
point of view : 

First, his setting out in the divine life or the begin- 
ning of his religious and christian course. Secondly, 
his holy, regular and steady progress therein, or his cir- 
cumspect walking, in every varied station and situation in 
life, in all the laws, statutes and ordinances of the Lord 
his God, blameless ; so, as in all things, to adorn the doc- 
trine of his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Thirdly, 
the consummation of his triumphant faith, or the finish- 
ing his holy christian course with joy : being found sted- 



9 

fast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the 
Lord ; he, at length, smiles on death,and meets an abun- 
dant entrance into the realms of bliss, with an all hail 
from his glorious God and Saviour, " well done, good and 
faithful servant , enter thou into the joy of thy Lord" 

Before I enter upon theirs* part of the true christian's 
life and character, I must beg leave to state a lew of what 
I shall term preliminary truths, as necessarily compre- 
hended in the view of the subject, 

First, I suppose the true and devout christian I am 
speaking of, to be, by the supreme providence 'of his 
God placed in an highly favored spot : namely $ that he 
has the singular felicity of being an inhabitant of a Pa- 
rish, blessed with a tr\x\y faithful, spiritual and evange- 
lical minister, who faithfully dispenses the bread of life 
to his people, at least, every Lord's day — a minister, who 
watches for souls as one that must soon give an account 
of his stewardship to his great Lord and Master ; and 
who no less feels it both his privilege and duty frequently 
to visit his parishioners, from house to house ; for the 
important purpose of watching over his flock, as a faith- 
ful watchman, that he may warn the unruly, encourage 
the timid, strengthen the weak and feeble minded by his 
kind admonitions ,and faithfully rebuke and admonish all. 

Secondly, I take it for granted, that he is deeply and 
experimentally sensible oi the distinguishing favor and 
mercy of God, respecting his outward situation and 
gospel advantages, <c that the lines are fallen to him in 
a pleasant place, and that his soul enjoys a godly spiritual 
heritage ;" where the gospel manna is plentifully scatter- 
ed around his habitation, and he is often invited and affec- 
tionately intreated freely to partake of those streams 
B 



10 

which flow from that river of God which has made glad 
the city of God in all and every age. 

Thirdly, I would premise, that, thus happily situated 
through the sovereign grace of his God, the faithful 
preaching of the everlasting gospel, by his devoted and 
faithful pastor, has been so mixed with faith, while he 
has heard it, as to become the power of God, to his deep 
conviction, sound conversion of heart to God, and his souVs 
everlasting salvation. (Rom. 1. 16.)orin other words, that, 
while he has sat under the joyful sound of gospel grace y 
w * the word of God has become quick, and powerful, and 
sharper than any two-edged sword ; piercing even to the 
dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and 
marrow, and has proved a discerner of the thoughts and 
intents of the heart." (Heb. 4. 12.) Thus, " mighty 
through God to the pulling down the strong holds (of sin, 
satan and the world) casting down imaginations, and every 
high thing, that exalteth itself against the knowledge of 
God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the 
obedience of Christ." (2. Cor. 10. 4, 5.) 

I shall state but one preliminary truth more, to wit : 
that the christian thus made to feel the all-impressive and 
irresistible power of the grace of God, under the pure 
and faithful preaching of the gospel, and the powers of 
the world to come; he has deeply felt the necessity of 
giving up himself and his whole heart to God ; knowing 
now, as a christian in deed, and not in name only, that 
"that grace of God, that bringeth salvation, and hath 
appeared unto all men, and which hath also savingly 
appeared unto his heart, hath taught him, that, denying 
all ungodliness and every worldly lust, he should live 
-oberly, righteously and godly, in this present world." 
Titus 2. 11, 12.) 



11 

These four general truths being premised, I shall 
now proceed to the full consideration of the first branch 
of the true christian's character ; or the views and senti- 
ments of that man, concerning God and religion, who 
believes that the name of christian is the highest style and 
title of a rational and immortal being. 

That great and eminently pious Prelate Bishop Bever- 
idge, in order to shew the low standard of vital piety and 
sound morals, strikingly observes, U of those who still 
continue in the communion of our church, and in the 
outward profession of the true christian faith, there 
are many, who although they profess to know God, yet in 
works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient^ 
and unto every good work reprobate. (Tit. 1. 16.) Many, 
did I say ? I wish I could not say almost all : But alas ! 
it is too plain to be denied. For, of that vast company 
of people that are called christians, how few are there 
that live as it becometh the gospel of Christ ; that finish 
the work which God hath given them to do, even glo- 
rify him in this world ? How many that refuse or neglect 
to worship and serve him upon his own day ? How few 
that do it upon any other day, when they have any thing 
else to do ? How many that never received the sacra- 
ment of the Lord's supper in their whole lives? How few 
that receive it above two or three times in the year, how 
often soever they are invited to it ? How many are the 
proud, the passionate, the covetous, the intemperate, the 
incontinent, the unjust, the prophane and impious, in 
comparison with the humble, and meek, and liberal, and 
sober, and modest, and righteous, and holy, among us? 
This disproportion is so vastly great, that none but God 
himself can make the comparison : so little of Christianity 
is now to be found, amongst christians themselves ; to our 
shame be it spoken. It is indeed a matter of so much 
shame as well as grief, to all that have any regard for 



12 

the honor of Christ their Saviour, that they cannot but 
be very solicitous to know how it comes to pass, that his 
di ctrine and preceits are so generally slighted and ne- 
glected as they are in the present day ? And how they 
may be observed better for the future than now they 
are ? Both which questions may be easily resolved ; for 
we cannot wonder, that of the many which profess the 
christian religion among us, there are so few that live up 
to it, when we consider how few are duly instructed in 
and made scripturally acquainted with the first princi- 
ples of it."* 

Now the christian character I am going to delineate, 
stands in marked contrast and pointed antithesis to the 
characters above described by the excellent Bishop. It 
shall be my business to pourtray or describe the state, 
character, life, and conduct of the sincere, obedient, and 
practical follower of Christ. 

And here I presume he commences the career of his 
divine life, through the pious and scriptural instruc- 
tions of his faithful minister, with a true and heart-felt 
knowledge of God. In this v;iew holy David directs his 
son Solomon (1. Chron. 28. 9.) to the right and only 
way to true and real religion ; when he says, " my son, 
kn m thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a 
perfect heart, and with a willing mind" Such solemn 
words as these the true christian applies to himself; 
f„nd hopes by the grace of God, assisting him, daily to 
increase in the knowledge of the Lord, that he may pay 
an universal obedience to all the commands of God. 
He dares not content or satisfy himself with vain preten- 
sions to or mere empty professions of religion, like too 
many around ; but he strives, by grace, to live up to 



* Beveridge on Christian Education, page 3. 



13 

his holy profession, and behave himself, as becomes one 
who desires to be religious indeed, and to serve the Lord 
with his whole heart. 

In pursuing this view of his character, as taking the 
advice and observing the rule David lays down for his 
son Solomon, viz: that he must know God, know him as 
his God in covenant, and reconciled father in Christ ; 
in order to h:s serving him with a perfect heart, and a 
willing mind: on this head I shall be a little more dif- 
fuse. 

In order to be a true, sincere, and obedient christian, 
it must pre-suy pose a right and scriptural knowledge of 
God as his God, because this must necessarily precede 
all holy obedience. It is impossible, in the reason and 
nature of things, for us to serve God, as our God, aright^ 
unless we know him. And that for the best of all rea- 
sons, that all our services, without this knowledge, will 
only be like the altar, which the Athenians dedicated to 
the unknown God, The very inscription itself mani- 
fested to the world an acknowledgment, that they lay 
under every high obligation to serve God, though they 
knew not that God whom they were bound to serve. I 
shall, therefore, here enquire what it is of God the true 
christian desires to know, in order that he may serve his 
God aright. 

The real christian is fully satisfied, that he can never 
serve God, as his God, in an acceptable manner, unless, 
first of all, he knows and believes that He is (Heb. 11. 6.) 
that is to say, he believes there is such a supreme and 
all-glorious being, in and over the world, whom we call 
God, who first made, and still preserves, governs, and 
disposes of all things in the world, as seemeth good in 
his sight. He knows, indeed, if God was not, or if 



14 

ihere was no first cause, nothing else could be ; God a- 
lone being the first cause and foundation of all other be- 
ings and things in the world, as well as of all motion too. 
And, therefore, in the view of St. Paul, he argues (Acts 
17. 28.) every thing that lives, every thing that moves, 
yea, every thing that is proves God to be. This is the 
first grand truth, the christian knows, on which all other 
truths depend ; and without which nothing else would or 
could be true. Therefore, the christian is assured, that 
he must know and believe that God is in order that he 
may be served and adored as he ought to be. Say, O 
my soul, dost thou truly know this great, this good, this 
glorious God, this^r^ cause and last end of all things ; 
in whom, every moment, O my soul, thou dost live, 
move, and have thy being ? Is he thy God, thy covenant- 
God and Father in Christ Jesus ? O my soul, from this 
holy knowledge of God, as thy God, dost thou adore, 
love, and serve him, and is his service perfect freedom 
to thy heart ? This is to know God aright, and the way, 
christian, to find an Heaven upon earth in his love. 

But, further, the true christian desires not only to 
know the existence of God, but to contemplate his es- 
sence also. To know what he is, as well as that he is, to 
know both what he is in himself, and what he is to every 
one of us. That, in himself, he exists as one God, in his, 
glorious essence ; nevertheless, there are three distinct 
persons, all and each of which is but that one God. — 
Though the christian does not pretend to comprehend 
this mystery, for this he knows he cannot do ; never- 
theless, as is set forth, under the head of mystery, in 
the first part of this Essay, he feels it his duty no less 
>;o believe it, though he cannot understand or explain it. 
He knows, indeed, there are many other deep and divirai 
mysteries in our holy religion ; yea, and many things 
in nature* philosophy, and science, that he cannot com- 



15 

prehend ; but he will not on that account reject them, 
because he knows and believes them to be true. How 
much more, then, is he bound to believe every thing 
that God hath affirmed of himself ! Moreover, the true 
christian acknowledges that he lies under the same high 
obligation to serve arid honor each person, as he has to 
honor and serve any one person, in the divine and sacred 
Trinity ; because his Saviour himself hath solemnly as- 
sured him, " that the Father wills that all men should 
honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.'*'' (John 5. 
23.) This, he knows, in the nature of things, is impossi- 
ble, unless he really believes the Son to be God, verily 
and as truly as the Father ; agreeable to the first funda- 
mental article of the christian faith, and of our aposto- 
lic church, into which he was at first baptized. The 
christian believes this glorious Triune God, this " / am 
that lam" who sent Moses to the children of Israel. 
existing in three divine, and distinct Persons, and yet but 
one in their undivided and all-glorious^ eternal essence, is 
the source of all wisdom and knowledge, the principle 
of all motion, the very ocean of all goodness, the spring 
and fountain of all happiness in the creature, and the 
very centre of all perfection in the world. He views 
and considers his essence so pure, so glorious, so im- 
mense, infinite and eternal, every way so transcendent, 
perfect, and incomprehensible ; that the more he thinks 
of him and contemplates his greatness, the more his 
heart is fired with love and gratitude, to admire, adore, 
and praise him ; and, in holy rapture and extacy he cries 
out, O my God, thou art all over glorious — " glorious 
in holiness, fearful in praises — doing wonders." The 
true christian believes, that man knows his God best who 
knows him infinitely to transcend all his knowledge, and 
thinks that he can never know enough of him ; inasmuch 
as, all the highest apprehensions that he can form of 
God, is to conceive of him infinitely higher than all his 
highest conceptions and apprehensions. 



16 

The pious christian especially desires to know and 
contemplate God in respect of what he is to us, as a co- 
venant-God in Christ. He views him as the author and 
giver of every good thing he enjoys in life, and who, as 
our hope and portion, is in himself every thing he can 
desire to make him happy, both in time, and in eternity. 
Because, the Lord engag.ng, in the covenant of grace, 
to be his God, he knows it is all he can desire, and com- 
prehends, all that he is, all that he h:.th, all that he doth, 
or can do, as God for his good. Thus he looks upon 
God as the chief and only object of all his hope, his hap- 
piness, his peace, his joy ; and the only centre in which 
all the inclinations and ca acious desires of his soul can 
be fully and forever satisfied. 

The true christian not only desires to know God and 
contemplate him in his glorious nature, existence, and 
essence, as the centre of all happiness and the source of all 
good to sinful man ; but he also desires to know him in 
all those glorious perfections, and attributes which he 
hath been pleased to reveal of himself. He considers 
him as all-wise and all-knowing, that he knows all 
things, even our embryo thoughts afar off — so powerful, 
great and glorious, that he lies under every obligation^ 
to fear and reverence his authority and power — and yet 
so kind, compassionate, and gracious, through his dear 
Son, that he encourages us poor sinners, to hope and 
trust in him — so good and gracious that he delights to 
do good and shew favor to sinful man, and yet so holy, 
just and righteous, as to punish every sinby whomsoever 
or wheresoever committed, while he is so compassionate 
and merciful as to pardon the transgressions, and blot 
out the sins of every sensible and penitent sinner. In 
a word, he views his God as the great, eternal and unori- 
ginated Be'mg,without begi?ining, as the glorious and ever- 
lasting God without end, and every way transcendent! y 
perfect. 



17 

The devout christian contemplating his God in all his 
glorious perfections, delights no less to consider him in 
all the wondrous xvorks which he hath done. In .his divine 
contemplation he cries out, in holy rapture, with David, 
(Psalm 8. 3.) u when I consider thy heavens, the work 
of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which th u hast 
ordained ; Lord, what is man, Lhat thou art mindful of 
him ? and the son of man, that thou vis test him ?" He 
admires both the wisdom and power of that glorious and 
Almighty Being, who hath built the majestic and stately 
fabric of this world out of nothing— who hath brought 
o?Yfer and harmony out of a confused chaos,, symmetry and 
beauty out of an indigested mass. Who said, u let there 
be light and there was light," and, by his Almighty fiat, 
divided the light from the darkness. He adores that 
great first cause, who spread the spacious canopy of the 
heavens, like a curtain, all around — who placed that 
mighty orb of the sun in the firmament, as the greater 
light^ to rule the day, and the moon, as ihe lesser light, 
to rule the night, and to show the inhabitants of this 
lower world the power and glory of their all-glorious 
Creator — who adorned the heavens with those unnum- 
bered myriads of bright and glittering stars, to attend 
the beauteous sovereign of night, like so many peeresses 
to grace a coronation solemnity, while she rides her glo- 
rious circuit around the world, both for the comfort and 
happiness of man. In this enraptured contemplation 
the devout christian is lost in wonder, when he reflects, 
that his all-glorious Creator hath hung the earth upon 
nothing, set the mighty waters of the seas their bounds, 
and wrapped them, as in swaddling bands — covered the 
beautiful face of the earth, like a carpet, with all man- 
ner of grass and every green herb for the service and 
use of man, and, if I may so speak, hath embroidered it 
with every kind of flowers, plan s, trees, and fruits, for 
its ornament and glory ; and that the same God, who at 



18 

iirst produced all things out of nothing, still preserves 
them in being for the delight and comfort of man. 

The serious christian also knows that it is the same 
wise and gracious God that ordains, orders, and directs, 
all the affairs of States, Empires, and Kingdoms ; their 
rise, their ascent, and their zenith ; all their various re- 
volutions, together with their decline and setting. That 
he superintends, appoints, and manages, all the plans 
and intrigues of state, directs all the mighty events of 
peace or war, and influences and disposes of the most 
able, wise, or crafty politicians, as well as the actions of 
every particular person, as seemeth good in his sight. 
Finally, whatsoever at first was made, in heaven above 
or in this lower world, it was this glorious God that 
made it ; and, whatsoever is noxv done in heaven above 
or on earth beneath, it is the same God that doth it : He, 
therefore, concludes, that nothing ever was, or is, or 
shall be, or can be done, unless it is done by God him- 
self, as the great first cause, and the universal and sove- 
reign Lord of all things. 

Secondly, I shall now consider what kind of know- 
ledge the true christian ought to have of the Lord Jesus 
Christ, as the eternal Son of the Father, and the only Sa- 
viour of the world, in order to his serving God in an 
acceptable manner. Christ himself hath assured us, 
that, in order to a well-grounded hope of eternal life, it is 
equally necessary to know the Son, as it it to know the Fa- 
ther. — " This," says he, ,, is eternal life,that they might 
know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou 
hast sent ." If then knowledge and true faith are the foun- 
tion of all service and holy obedience ; it follows that the 
true christian must possess a clear and soul-satisfying 
knowledge of Christ, in all those near and endearing re- 
lations, in which he stands to the Father as well as his 



19 

church. — To know him as the second Person of the ever- 
blessed, adorable, and eternal Trinity, the everlasting 
logos, equal with the Father, possessing all the same 
essential attributes of Deity with the Father and the 
Holy Ghost, and declared, in the scripture, " to be God 
over all, and blessed for evermore.'*'' The true christian 
thus believes in, honors, and adores Christ, as he honors 
the Father ; because he views him as the Creator of all 
things, of men and of angels — as the Preserver of the 
world, which he hath built, or who upholds all things, 
by the word of his power, and that God by whom all 
things consist : (Colos. 1. 15.) — as the glorious and Al- 
mighty Redeemer of guilty sinners, unto whom God the 
Father, when he brought his only begotten into the 
world, said, u let all the angels of God worship him, for 
Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever : a sceptre of 
righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast 
loved righteousness and hated iniquity ; therefore God, 
even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil cf gladness 
above thy fellows" (Heb. 1. 6, 8, 9.) The Saviour of 
the world thus possessing the same glorious and incom- 
municable names and titles with the Father — claiming 
and receiving the same adoration, worship, homage, and 
service, from men and angels with the Father — the chris- 
tian, in all things, desires to honor the Son, as he honors 
the Father. But this is not all, the true christian, in the 
view of serving God as he ought to do, feels it indispen- 
sably necessary not only to know Christ, in all those 
near relations, in which he stands to the Father ; but 
also, in each of those peculiar relations t in which he 
stands, as the head of the new covenant, to his dear 
church and people. He considers him in all his grand 
and economical offices, as his surety , days-man, and pay- 
master ; his saviour, redeemer, deliverer, and friend — as 
his prophet, priest, and king — as his leader, and comman- 
der, the captain of his salvation, and his eternal judge. 



20 

In all those glorious characters and offices, the christian 
fixes the eye of his faith upon-his divine and exalted 
Lord ; and while, with an unshaken confidence, he an- 
chors all his hopes on Christ, and what, in each of his 
glorious characters and offices, he hath done and suf- 
fered for a lost world, he admires and adores him as his 
great God and Saviour, his soul-satisfying portion, and 
his eternal all. 

But he especially fixes the eye of his faith on Christ, 
in his threefold offices of Prophet, Priest, and King. 
T^e christian, deeply sensible of his own ignorance and 
native blindness, in consequence of the fall of the first 
Adam, sees and feels the necessity of divine teaching, 
and a divine teacher ; and, by happy and heart-felt ex- 
perience, he knows that none teaches like Christ. 
Hence it is that he so much admires Christ in the divine 
office and character of Prophet, or teacher. It delights 
his heart to hear his Lord and Master say, " they shall 
be all taught of God — and he, that hath heard and learn- 
ed of the Father, cometh unto me." The natural 
pride and self sufficiency of his heart being effectually 
subdued by the power of divine grace, like holy and 
humble Mary of old, he places himself, in heart and 
spirit, at Jesus' feet to hear his word, learn his lessons, 
and, by him, be made wise, fully to know himself, that 
Jie may finally be made wise unto salvation. And such is 
his confidence in the teaching of his Lord, that he cries, 
" what I know not that teach thou me" — teach me the 
knowledge of thy will — shew me the plague of my own 
heart — and ? O teach me the knowledge of thy most pre- 
cious love. 

The more the christian feels of the evil and plague of 
his own heart, the more he feels the necessity of " line 
upon line, and precept upon precept" He is so unapt to 



21 

iearn the divine lessons of his Master, and so dull in re- 
ceiving instructions by them, that he wants the same 
lessons again, an hundred times over. Hence he admires 
the compassion and pity of Christ, that he can bear 
with his ignorance, dullness, and stupidity, and still 
continue to teach him those lessons, which he ought to 
know and fully to understand. 

The sincere believer in Christ, thus desirous of being 
found an humble learner in his divine Master's school, 
places himself on the lowest form, knowing his Lord 
" resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble " and 
there pleads, O my God, who teachest thy people to pro- 
fit, teach thou my heart all the lessons of thy love ! O 
teach me the knowledge of all thy righteous will, that 
my whole soul may be absorbed^and wholly lost in thee! 

If this is the genuine language of that man who believes 
in Christ with the heart, say, O my soul, what are thy 
thoughts of Christ, as the great Prophet of his church ? 
Art thou willing, O my soul, that Christ should become 
thy teacher ? Is the pride, vanity, and self-sufficiency of 
thy heart so subdued by the power of his love and 
grace, that thou canst now cheerfully submit to the hu- 
miliating lessons he teaches all his disciples I Hast thou, 
O my soul, after all the teachings and lessons of Christ, 
in child-like humility, placed thyself on the lowest form ? 
Have the sovereign teachings of Christ become so effec- 
tual to thy heart, that now the will of God is thy will, 
and thou hast no will but his ? Is this thy experience? 
the language of thy heart, O my soul, in his sight ? 
Then bless the Lord, and let all that is within thee bless 
his holy name. 

But the sincere christian no less desires a daily and 
increasing acquaintance with Christ in his glorious office- 



22 

character of the High Priest of our profession. His 
thoughts and views of sin as an infinite offence, because 
committed against an infinite and holy God, fill his in- 
most spirit with dread and dismay, and chill his soul with 
horror : he, therefore, trembles at the thought of falling 
into the hands of the living God, knowing that as an 
holy, sin-hating, and sin-avenging God, he is a con- 
suming fire. From such views of himself and of sin, he 
knows v. ithout the shedding of blood, there can be no 
remission. The law of God being violated by man's sin 
and transgression, and his sin being committed against 
the highest possible authority, even against God him- 
self, the glorious law-giver, he is fully satisfied of the 
righteousness and truth of God ; and that his inexorable 
and injured justice dem >nds complete and plenary satis- 
faction for the law's violated and injured honor. But as 
a fallen and finite creature can never by either his imper- 
fect obedience or suffering, satisfy the infinite and inex- 
orable justice of heaven ; because, the very ideas of sin 
and suffering, imply eternal variance; he knows, on 
every holy scripture ground, the violated law must be 
fulfilled, stern justice fully satisfied, the honor of God, 
as law- giver ,sec 'tired, and all the attributes of Deity mag- 
nified, before he can obtain any possible ground of 
hope, either for the pardo?io£ his unnumbered transgres- 
sions, the reconciliation of his soul to the offended Ma- 
jesty of 'heaven, the acceptance of Lis person in his holy 
sight, the justification of his heart before the supreme 
tribunal, and his right and title to ineffable happiness, 
bliss, and eternal glory. Nevertheless, though, while 
under the condemnatory sentence and curse of the bro- 
ken law and covenant of Mount Sinai, he lies without a 
hope, the glorious and everlasting gospel of the Son of 
God opens a new and living way, consecrated through the 
veil of Christ's rent flesh upon the cross. And now light 
divine begins to dawn upon hisbewildered and perplexed 



23 

mind — faith in Christ pierces through the thick gloom ; 
the darkness of the night, and the shadow of death, are 
turned into the brightness of the morning ; hope arises,, 
joy springs up, in the pleasing prospect of peace 9 
through the shed blood and atoning sacrifice of his great 
High Priest ; who by the " one offering of himself hath 
for ever perfected them that are sanctified ;" and he re- 
joices in the God of his salvation. Faith enables the 
christian to triumph in his glorious Redeemer, because 
he sees himself " complete in him" and " justified from 
all things, from which he never could be justified by the 
law of Moses" Hence, with an holy extacy of soul, he 
cries, O thou, my great, my all-glorious High Priest*, 
appear in all thy pontifical robes, dyed in thine own 
blood, and let me feel the efficacy of thy blood, and the 
glory of thy propitiation. For now the law is fulfilled, 
stern justice is satisfied, the curse is done away, the 
Father is well pleased — death and hell are vanquished , 
and the kingdom of heaven u opened to all believers.^' 
" O death, where is now thy sting ? O grave, where 
is thy victory ?" All is done away through the preci- 
ous shed blood of my Lord ! " Who shall, therefore, 
now lay any thing to the charge of God's elect ? It is 
God that justified). Who is he that condemneth ? It is 
Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is 
even at the right hand of God ; who, (as our High Priest 
before the throne) also maketh intercession for us*" 1 
(Rom. 8. 33, 34.) 

Say, my christian reader, what are thy thoughts of 
this everlasting High Priest, who having, as the Son of 
God, neither beginning of clays, nor end of life, abideth 
a Priest continually ? How doth thy heart stand affected 
to him ? Dost thou place all thy trust and confidence in 
his blood and righteousness alone, as the ground and 
matter of thy pardon, acceptance, and justification, be- 



24, 

fore the bar of God ? And does thy faith continual!}* eye 
his intercession as thy High Priest and forerunner , as 
securing and engaging an " abundant entrance " ?X last, 
into his everlasting kingdom ? In all these respects, has 
he gained thy fullest confidence ? And is he precious to 
thy soul ; thy joy and transport, as well as trust ? In 
the glowing language then of the enraptured Poet, 
Young, thy soul may break out, with an holy triumph, 
and say, in Christ, I have 

" Pardon for infinite offence, a pardon bought with blood ; 

With blood divine of him I made my foe ; 

Persisted to provoke, though woo'd and awed 

A flagrant rebel still, nor I alone, a rebel universe 

My species up in arms, not one exempt ; 

Yet for the foulest of the foul, he dies : 

Most joyed for the redeemed from deepest guilt, 

As though our race was held of highest rank, 

And God he ad dearer as more kind to man." 

Further, while the experimental christian, in a pecu^ 
liar manner, honors Christ as that illustrious Prophet, 
whom the Lord God hath raised up unto his church 
from among his brethren like unto Moses, and cheer- 
fully submits himself, as an humble learner, to the di- 
vine teachings of his great Master; — while he equally 
honors, reveres, and adores him, as the appointed and 
glorious High Priest of his profession : he also pays most 
special regard to him as that anointed King, whom God 
44 hath set upon his holy hill ofZion." (Psalm 2. 6.) 

There was, indeed, a dark and gloomy period of his 
life, before the sound and real conversion of his heart to 
the Lord ; when other Lords bad the dominion over 
him, and he said of Christ, I will not have this man to 
reign over me : But, now, as effectually called and reno- 
vated by his g^ace, he claims Christ as his lawful sove- 
reign and the sole monarch of his heart. As his King, 
he is, by baptism, enlisted under his royal standard and 



25 

the banner of his cross ; he receives the law from his 
mouth, knowing that he ordains, and gives laws, statutes , 
and ordinances, to all his subjects ; and he prays to have 
them written, agreeable to the tenor and promise of the 
new covenant, (Heb. 8. 10.) upon the living tablet of 
his heart. As a subject of Chris fs spiritual kingdom, 
he knows he lies under every high and mighty obliga- 
tion, to yield the most implicit, willing, constant, and 
universal obedience to his Lord ; and grace teaches him 
to do so. For though Christ is a Sovereign, his reign is 
the reign of love. Therefore, the love and grace of 
Christ irresistibly constrain the true believer, in all 
things, to submit to his kingly authority, government, 
and laws ; to love, honor, and obey, what he com- 
mands ; to hate, abhor, shun, and depart from, whate- 
ver he forbids or condemns. Though all are, by nature, 
rebels against his authority, reject his moral govern- 
ment, trample upon his laws, and affect a spirit of horrid 
independence : none continue so, who become the 
liege subjects of his auspicious reign, and are cordially 
united to Christ, as their gracious and all-conquering 
king. To such, cheerful and willing obedience to his 
holy and equitable laws becomes, as it were, a second, 
nature. For Christ reigns in, as well as rules over them^ 
and it is a part of his kingly reign, to pull down ail the 
strong holds of unbelief, pride, prejudice, and sin— to cast 
down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth 
itself against the knowledge of God—and to bring every 
thought to the obedience of Christ* O glorious King ! 
O divine reign ! O happy, thrice happy subjects, who 
are thus honored of God, to follow the Lamb and his 
armies, whithersoever he goeth ! How different the king- 
dom and reign of Christ, and the kingdoms of this world ? 
In the latter, we do frequently behold, not only an abso- 
lute tyranny or despotic sway ; but confusion and wild up- 
roar. In the former, all is unity, harmony, love, and 
D 



26 

peace. For Christ reigning in the hearts of all his people, 
wisdom and prudence order and regulate all his conduct 
towards them ; while love, submission, and a spirit of 
filial obdience influence all their conduct towards Christ. 
Who would not be the subjects of such a Prince ? Who 
would Tiot swear allegiance to, honor, and obey, such a 
King ? Since this is the kingdom which the God of heaven 
hath set up, which shall never be destroyed ; a kingdom 
that shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in 
pieces and consume all other kingdoms ; and it shall 
stand for ever. il For of the increase of his government 
and peace there shall be no end, upon Christ's throne, 
and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it 
with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for 
ever" //'christian, the kingdom of Christ is a spiritual 
kingdom, and his reign a spiritual reign in the heart of 
all his true subjects ; how does thy heart stand affected 
towards Christ as a King ? Is he the sole monarch of 
thy heart ? Art thou willing that he should reign 
supreme in and over all thy soul, tby heart, thy will, 
thy affections, as Lord of every motion there ? 1 am 
the more particular here, knowing that too many, in 
every age, admit, and profess to receive Christ as a 
Prophet, and a Priest ; who nevertheless,, either slight 
or reject him as a King. Christian, deal fairly and ho- 
nestly with thine own heart in this important particular : 
for be assured, if Christ is not thy King, to reign in, 
rule over, and govern thy soul, and thy whole man ; to 
subdue thy every rebellious lust, passion, appetite, and. 
desire, and bring every thought into subjection, and 
obedience to himself : he never will be thy Priest to 
save thee from the guilt and curse of thy sins at last, or 
finally admit thee imo his holy, heavenly, and everlast- 
ing kingdom of glory hereafter. 

O blessed Jesus, assert the glories of thy triumphant 
and princely reign. Take unto thyself thy great power, 



27 

arise and reign in the full splendor of thy glory, as king 
of nations and king of saints, in all thy churches ; and 
let thy universal kingdom come among men, that the 
kingdoms of this world may speedily become the king- 
doms of our Lord and his Christ, and thy name and 
praise be great in the whole earth. Reign, holy Saviour,, 
O reign in the hearts of all thy beloved children, whom 
thou hast made willing, in the day of thy power, to sub- 
mit to thy supreme authority, government, and laws% 
and let their whole soul shout for joy, that the Lord God 
omnipotent reigneth. 

Thirdly ', I shall nowclaim the christian's serious atten- 
tion while I remind him of the absolute necessity of his 
becoming a real partaker of the divine influences of God 
the Holy Ghost, as the third Person in the adorable Tri- 
nity ; as equally concerned with the Father and the Son 
in the grand economy of the new covenant, and the great 
work of man's redemption and salvation ; in order to his 
serving God aright, or in an acceptable way and manner 
through Christ Jesus. 

We are every where in Scripture taught to consider 
the stupendous mystery of man's recovery, and deliver- 
ance from the dire effects of Adam's first fall from God, 
and the curse annexed as the penalty of his transgres- 
sion, as the great work of the Triune Deity. While 
God the Father proposes, ordains, and appoints, the 
mysterious plan ; and God the Son voluntarily consents 
and engages to fulfil all the stipulations and restipula 
tions of the covenant of grace, as the glorious Head? 
guarantee, and surety, of that covenant ; God the Holy 
Ghost, " proceeding from the Father and the Son," is 
appointed, undertakes, and engages to become the en- 
tightener, teacher, renovator, comforter, sanctifier, and 
guide, of all the beloved, obedient, and peculiar people 
of God. 



28 

This holy and all-important doctrine of the necessity 
of the divine influences upon the heart of man, as the 
leading doctrine of our church, as well as the plain and 
clear doctrine of the sacred Scriptures, is stated and 
fully insisted upon, in the first part of this Essay, (pa- 
ges, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36.) 

Indeed, the christian owns and feels the necessity of 
the thing itself, from the consideration of man's state 
and situation as a fallen creature. He believes, as the 
immediate effect and consequence of the fall, that man 
has lost that primeval, pure, and spiritual life, he en- 
joyed in his first creation ; that he has not only forfeited 
the divine favor, but also lost the divine image, which 
consists in righteousness and true holiness ; that, as a 
fallen being, he is become dead to God, dead in trespass 
ses and sins, and so totally fallen as to be left without 
any inherent and moral ability, either in whole or in 
part, to aid or recover himself from the deep abyss of sin 
and misery.* 

Hence, he feels the absolute necessity of the powerful 
assistance of divine grace, and the aid of the divine spi- 
rit, in order to the restoration of the divine life, and the 
renovation of his heart after the image of his God. As 
a sinner enlightened by the spirit of God, he knows now 
by experience, that the leopard can as soon change his 
spots, or the Ethiopian his skin, as he, that by nature 
was accustomed to do evil, learn to do well; that he 
can as soon create a world, as new create his own heart in 
Christ Jesus, unto those good xaorks which God hath or- 
dained he should walk in them. Nay, more, he knows, 
that unless God works in him, " both to will and to do of 
his own good pleasure" he has no heart for God or his 
service, no will to choose God, as his chief good — no hearu 

* See Art, 10, of pur Church 



29 

to delight either in the ways or work of God ; and in 
one word, that the bias of his whole soul, and all his 
active powers, is averse to God and holiness; yea, full of 
deadly enmity against God and goodness, and under the 
power of a carnal mind. (Rom. 8. 7.) 

He, therefore, beholds his salvation to be all of free 
grace, from first to last : That while God the Father 
so loved a lost world, as to give his only begotten Son, 
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but 
have everlasting life ; and God the Son actually became 
incarnate, lived, suffered, groaned, and died the accursed 
death of the cross for the sin of man, -and rose again for 
his justification ; so the blessed Spirit actually, by his all- 
quickening and regenerating power, renovates the dead 
sinner, and raises him up to newness of life in Christ 
Jesus. " You hath he quickened" says St. Paul, (Eph. 2. 
I.) " who were dead in trespasses and sins." As thus 
quickened by the eternal Spirit, the christian knows 
that he is become a new creature, that there is a new 
creation in him — " that old things are done away, and 
all things become new." But do not mistake the chris- 
tian's meaning, when he speaks of his nexv birth or rege- 
neration, as the holy doctrine is stated by our Lord, in 
his discourse with the learned Rabbi Nicodemus ; as if 
any physical or natural changehad taken place upon him, 
or as if he had been reduced to his primeval nothing, 
and again new formed. He means no such thing, though 
the learned Rabbi understood Christ in this carnal sense, 
as if he was to enter a second time into his mother's 
womb and be born. (John 3. 4.) No. By this impor- 
tant scripture term, he only means that glorious and 
essential change of his former state and condition before 
God, which takes place in his regeneration ; as also his 
moral change. From being by nature, as conceived and 
born in sin, a child of wrath and an heir of hell, he now 



30 

beholds himself a child of God, and an heir of heaven and 
glory, an heir of God, and a joint heir with Christ of 
that everlasting kingdom, which God hath prepared for 
him before the foundation of the world. And from liv- 
ing before under the power, dominion, reign, and love of 
sin and the world; he now by the power of renewing 
grace and the energy of the Holy Spirit, beholds himself 
a " new creature," (2. Cor. 5. 17.) "created in Christ 
Jesiis unto good works ; which God hath before ordained 
that he should walk in them." (Eph. 2. 10.) — His moral 
change, therefore, as well as his change of state, being 
complete by regeneration, he is found daily perfecting 
holiness in the fear of God.* 

The true christian being thus savingly enlightened, 
quickened, and regenerated by the Spirit of God, he is 
further taught to view and consider the blessed Spirit 
as that divine leader, whom Christ hath promised shall 
guide him into all truth, and shall glorify h im, by taking 
the things that are Christ's, and shewing them to his 
heart ; and thereby to lead him into all truth necessary 
for him to know, for the manifestation of the Lord's 
glory, and his own happiness, comfort, and salvation. 
And, in this way and by this means, also, agreeable to 
the gracious promise of Christ, he becomes his holy com- 
forter. " When the comforter ," says Christ, " is come, 
whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the 
Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he 
shall testify of me : for he shall not speak of himself, 
but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak ; and 
he will shew you things to come ! He shall glo- 
rify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it 
unto you." (John 15. 26. cum chap. 16. 13, 14.) Noi- 
ls this all : for the believer living under the sacred in- 



* SeeScougal'slifeof God in the soul of man, recommended by th£ 
Bishops of our Church. 



31 

fluence of the ever blessed Spirit, as his teacher, renfi- 
vator, the glorifier of Christ, and his unerring and infal- 
lible guide and comforter ; he rejoices in him, as his 
all-powerful sanctifier. 

The christian is fully assured, from the authority of 
God's word, and his own experience and observation, 
that all his hopes and expectations, as to the real and 
pure enjoyment of a future state of complete felicity, 
must rest upon a spiritual meetness for as well as a title 
to eternal glor}^ He. therefore, unites with the Apos- 
tle in " giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made 
us meet, (by his Spirit an& grace) to be partakers of the 
inheritance of the saints in light." (Colos. 1. ■ 12.) He- 
knows that, by nature, his soul is full of impurity and all 
manner of defilement , that his heart is fitly compared, in 
scripture, to a cage full of unlcean birds, or to an impure 
fountain, continually issuing forth the streams of defile- 
ment and impurity. He also knows and believes that 
God, with whom he has to do, is an holy God, the God of 
light, in whom there is no darkness of ignorance, sin, or 
error, at all. Hence he concludes, both upon the autho- 
rity of the moral character of God, as well as the positive 
declarations of his word ; that without holiness, holiness of 
heart, life, and conversation, no man shall see the Lorcl^ 
inasmuch as nothing that is unclean, or that defileth, or 
whosoever loveth or maketh a lie, can ever enter into 
the holy presence, or be found capable of enjoying the, 
paradise of God and the beatific vision of the Lamb, it> 
glory. On this ground, therefore, the believerin Christ 
acknowledges and feels the necessity of the Spirit's con- 
tinual influence upon his heart, as his sanctifier. Tha* 
obeying his holy motions, and living under bis gracious 
guidance, he may learn every day, more and more, to 
hate and depart from all sin, to abstain from all impurity, 
and the very " garments spotted with the flesh j?' to be 



32 

advancing in holiness, purity, heavenly mindedness, 
and every christian temper of meekness, gentleness, and 
love : or to speak in the beautiful language of the Apos- 
tle, that under the constant aid and influence of the Holy 
Spirit, as his sane tifier, he may be i( growing up into 
Christ in all things , who is his head, the fulness of him that 
filleth all in all" 

From the preceding view of the christian character, 
as it respects the clear, scriptural, and soul -satisfying 
knowledge of the ever blessed and adorable Trinity, 
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost ; 
each divine and distinct Person, equally concerned and 
engaged in the glorious work of man's redemption and 
salvation, agreeable to the economy of the new-covenant : 
I draw this just and legitimate conclusion from the pre- 
mises before stated — that wherever this* trust and holy 
knowledge exists in the mind and dwells in the heart, 
a sure and solid foundation is laid for all holy and univer- 
sal obedience to the laws and commands of God in the 
christian's whole life and every part of his moral con- 
duct, as saith king David, " my son, know thou the God 
of thy father and serve him with a perfect heart, and 
with a willing mind" Whence every reflecting christian 
must see that the knowledge of God as before described, 
is absolutely necessary, in order to his serving him ; as 
no man can serve God that does not know him. 

But, further, I would observe, this knowledge must 
be experimental and practical. " Oh taste and see that 
the Lord is gracious" (Psalm 34. 8.) From these 
words of the Psalmist the christian sees that God requires 
his spiritual' senses to be employed and exercised, both 
in his knowledge of, and the service he gives unto him ; 
so that he not only sees that God is good, 'but he tastes 
also, that is, he feels and experiences it in himself. It 



is true, this may seem strange language to many, and 
appear paradoxical; nevertheless, it is strictly true, for 
the religion of Christ, or true Christianity, is not only a 
rational religion, but a religion of feeling. And there 
is no christian among us but may attain unto it, and 
actually find it to be a scripture truth, if they will only 
seek it in sincerity and with all their heart ; provided 
they are diligent and constant in waiting upon God in 
all his ways, and devout and fervent in their medita- 
tions upon him. Because by these means the christian's 
holy ideas of God will be enlarged ', his conceptions of 
him more sublime Y/ ! and pure , and his affections so drawn 
towards him, that he will taste and experience in him- 
self, as well as from the testimony of other christians, 
that the Lord is good and gracious, and that the essence 
of all goodness and perfection does centre in him. 

This is a truth so clear and self-evident that it seems 
to stand in need of no further proof or demonstration 
than the christian's own experience, and daily observa- 
tion. For it may with propriety be asked, how can I 
possiblyy<?tfr God's authority and greatness, trust in his 
pardoning mercy, rejoice in his love and goodness, and 
desire his gracious favor ; if I know not that God is good 
and gracious in all these particulars. 

Thus, my christian reader, I have shewn, somewhat 

at large, what kind of knowledge you ought to have of 

God, in order to become a true follower of Christ ; I 

shall, therefore, now consider and shew you, in what 

way and after what manner, you are to serve him. Your 

knowledge will, indeed, ava 1 you nothing, unless your 

whole souls are engaged in his service. But to ob^ ate 

too common a mistake in many, as to the nature of that 

service the christian ought to give to his God ; I would 

observe, in the words of that pious and excellent Pieiate, 
E 



34 

Bishop Beveridge — " That though }*ou should have the 
the highest notions and speculations in divinity, that 
men or even angels ever had, though you should under- 
stand the highest mysteries in religion, and dive into 
the profoundest secrets of christian philosophy ; though, 
christian, you should excel the greatest schoolmen, the 
most able disputants, and the most learned doctors that 
ever lived ; and were able to baffle and confound here- 
sies, dispute error and schism out of the christian church, 
evince the truth of the articles of our holy faith, by 
more than mathematical demonstrations ; yet, if after all 
this, your knowledge be only notional, or speculative, not 
moving your affections, not putting you upon the prac- 
tice of what you know, " it is but as sounding brass, and 
a tinkling cymbal ." It may, indeed, make a great noise 
in the world, and get you applause amongst men, but it 
will stand you in no stead at all before the Eternal God ; 
yea, it will rise up in judgment against you another day, 
and sink you tower into the abyss of torments. And 
therefore, though you may, God doth not look upon this 
as the true knowledge of himself; neither can anyone 
be properly said to know God, that doth not serve him 
with a perfect heart, and a willing mind"* 

I hope no one of my readers, who professes himself to 
be a christian, is so self- conceited, as to suppose and 
conclude, that he serves God well enough already, or at 
least, that he knows how to doit, as he ought ; because 
such do not think they want instruction, or that any mi- 
nister can instruct them; therefore, they feel no inclina- 
tion to read any subjects that treat upon practical and ex- 
perimental religion, or indeed, any religious book at all, 
unless it be to carp at it and find fault, but not with a 
view to serve God, or to learn how they may serve God 



Thoughts on the knowledge of God, Bp. B. 



35 

with greater fervor, spirituality, and purity. Never- 
theless, I hope there are a few who desire to attend to 
every serious advice given them ; and so to profit by all 
they read, as to have it fixed on their hearts. To such 
I may venture to affirm, that the subject on which I now 
treat, is not only the most noble and the most impor- 
tant ; but the most necessary for them to attend uno ; 
and that also, which if they piously weigh, seriously 
consider, and sincerely practise, will certainly afford 
them the most solid peace now, and finally bring them to 
the most glorious and supreme happiness and felicity 
hereafter, which their persons and natures are capable of 
enjoying for ever. 

But, in order to assist the sincere christian, I shall 
more particularly enquire here in what the true and 
spiritual service of God consists. This is a question 
more indispensably necessary to be seriously consi- 
dered ; because of the numerous mistakes that multi- 
tudes in the world run into, concerning it. There are 
but too many , that call themselves christians, who imagine 
that the service of God consists only in their paying a 
little attention to some outward acts of religion ; such as 
their occasionally reading their Bibles, when they have 
no other book to read, their going sometimes to church, 
perhaps, on a Sunday morning, their saying their 
prayers, as they call it, in an heartless manner, and now 
and then giving, as a meritorious act, something by way 
of charity to the poor, that they may be seen and ad- 
mired of men ; and perhaps, most of all, in their ardent 
zeal and activity either to defend or promote th^ sect ox 
party to which, it may be, by accident they belong; de- 
voting not only their time and talents, but also their 
property and power to further that interest, by. which 
means they think and even conclude, they render suffi- 
cient homage and service to their God, and this is all hq 



has a right to require of or from them. I may add, 
there are others who please themselves with the vain 
thought, that they serve God, as the Apostle Peter 
speaks, by wresting the holy scriptures, with a view to 
corrupt the pure doctrines of Christ's gospel ; seduce 
the simple and unwary into error and damnable heresy, 
and oppose, by every means in their power, the true, 
faithful, and devoted servants and ministers of the 
Lord, who are found valiant for the truth upon earth. 

But the real christian knows the pure and holy ser- 
vice he owes to his God consists in none of these 
things ; that it is of a more sublime and spiritual nature 
than such deluded characters would persuade themselves 
it is : that it hath its origin from heaven and bears the 
stamp, image, and superscription of God himself upon 
it. But the greatness and grandeur of the subject de- 
mands that I should be more particular ; and shew that 
the christian, in order to his serving God aright and as 
he ought to do. 

1, He knows, in the first place, that it consists in giv- 
ing his whole heart to God. " My son," says the Lord, 
"give me thine heart, and let thineeyes observe my ways" 
Thus he sees it his duty, his privilege, yea a most rea- 
sonable service, like the first christians mentioned by St. 
Paul, to give up and devote his whole self, body, soul, and 
spirit, with all he has, all he is, and all he does, to the 
Lord, to be employed in his service and dedicated to his 
honor and glory. He considers that he is not his own, 
but being bought with the price, the inestimably preci- 
ous price of his Saviour's blood, he lies under every 
high and mighty obligation " to glorify God with his 
body, and with his spirit, which are God's." Having 
thus wholly given and resigned his heart to the Lord, 
he desires to have all his passions subdued before him, 



37 

and his affections entirely fixed upon him. He not only 
considers that he is the creature of God's creating power, 
but also his dependent creature, for life, breath, and all 
things ; and therefore, if he would serve God accepta- 
bly, he must, like Caleb of old, follow the Lord fully, so 
as to serve him with every faculty of bis soul, and with 
every member of his body, by employing himself in all 
those spiritual services, and works of faith and labors of 
Jove, which his God hath set before him, so as to make 
it manifest to all, he feels sensible he is not his own, 
but entirely the Lord's : saying with holy Paul, (Rom. 
14. 7, 8.) " I no longer live to myself, neither do I die 
to myself. For whether I live, I live unto the Lord ; and 
whether I die, I die unto the Lord : whether I live there- 
fore, or die, I am the Lord's." 

2. The christian knows, that in order to render a true 
and acceptable service to his God, in the first instance 
he must not only give his whole heart, with all he has, 
and is, and does, to God ; but that he must serve the 
Lord fully and constantly. His services must extend to 
every duty of religion., and be steady and constant, as well 
as unlimited and universal. He is fully aware, he cannot 
serve the Lord, as it were, by fits and starts ; be one 
while hot and another while cold — now appearing on the 
side of Christ and religion, and then on the side ol the 
world, and pleasure, according to the company he is in, 
He dares not join himself to the number of BaaVs wor- 
shippers, halting between two opinions, and doubtful 
whether supreme worship is due to the Lord Jehovah, 
or to Baal, the God of this world : but he feels the neces- 
sity, in order to prove the sincerity of his heart, of being 
a. decided character. For this end he sets the "Lord 
always before him, that none of his steps may be moved." 
The cause of God and of piety are, if I may so express 
myself, his every day work, and, like his divine Master, 



38 

it is his meat and his drink, while here, to do the will of 
his heavenly Father. 

3. Further, while the service the true christian gives 
to his God is universal, extending to every duty, steady, 
unlimited, and constant ; it is no less open, public, and' 
av wed to and before all the world. As Christ his Lord 
suffered without the gate, he is not ashamed to go forth 
to Christ, without the camp, bearing his reproach. He 
leaves it to the almost and fashionable christian to dread 
" the world's loud laugh," and shrink from the cross of 
his Saviour, and giveuip the solid hope of heaven rather 
than lose the world's good opinion of him. He has not 
so learned Christ. By virtue of his vital union with 
Christ, and the possession of a true faith in him, Christ 
is precious to his soul ; and a deep sense of his dying 
love, being shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost 
given unto him, overwhelms his soul, and irresistibly 
constrains and engages all his powers on the side, inter- 
est, and cause of his Lord. Therefore, he is not asham- 
ed to own his Master, though all others forsake him, or 
to maintain support, and defend his gospel in the world, 
because he has felt it the power of God to his salvation. • 
Nay more, he knows if he were to be ashamed of Christ 
or his followers before men, Christ would be ashamed 
to own him at last before his Father, men, and angels. 
The very thought inspires his soul, fires his bosom, and 
fills him with courage and an holy ardor to promote the 
bleeding cause of Christ among men. He so partakes 
of Caleb's spirit, that though his brethren are ready to 
stone him for his zeal, he has fully made up his mind 
with Joshua, to avow and openly serve the Lord, even if all 
around forsake him. Nay, though persecution, bonds, 
or imprisonment await him for Christ, such is his divine 
and holy heroism, and final determination, that with 
Paul he cries, "none of these things move me ; neither 



39 

fount I my life dear unto my self, \f I may have the honor 
to bear the reproach of Christ, and, at last, finish my 
course with joy." Such is his love to Christ and zeal 
for his service, that the reproaches of Christ he esteems 
his highest honor, and every name of obloquy his great- 
est praise and glory. 

4. The nature of that holy and constant service which 
the sincere christian ever desires, and finds it his duty 
to render to his God, he knows consists in his paying 
faithful and universal obedience to all the laws and com- 
mands of his God. As a sinner, truly converted to the 
Lord, and a real believer in Christ, agreeable to the lan- 
guage and tenor of the new covenant, the laws of his 
righteous sovereign are written upon his heart. It is 
but natural, therefore, to conclude, that like pious Da- 
vid, " he will have respect to all his commandments." 
As the grace of God hath taught him to devote his 
whole man, as has been already observed, to God's ser- 
vice, honor, and glory ; it follows of course, that his 
whole life should be conformed to all his righteous pre- 
cepts. This he is conscious is no more than what he 
expects himself from his own dependents, or menial 
servants ; how much more then must he feel it his duty, 
and reasonable service, in all things, to obey all the laws 
and statutes of that God in whom he lives, moves, and 
has his being ; and whose servant, by every tie, he is 
and ought to be ? His obligations to observe and obey 
all the precepts of his God are so strong and forcible., 
that he is not at libeny to choose and observe one at the 
expence and neglect of another ; but, as a good and faith- 
ful servant, he finds himself equally obliged to observe 
and obey them all. The contrary conduct, in too many 
professing christians, is as inconsistent, ridiculous, and 
absurd, as it is contrary to scripture and the experi- 
ence of the true christian in every age* 



40 

I shall illustrate the force of this last observation by a 
simple comparison, nearly in the words of an excellent 
Prelate, who, to expose the conduct of such characters, 
says, " It is just as if, when Moses had broke the two 
tables of stone, on which the ten commandments were 
written, by the finger of God himself, one man should 
have come and taken away one piece, a second run away 
with another piece, and a third with another, 'till at 
length ten several persons had gotten ten several pieces, 
wherein the Ten Commandments were severally writ- 
ten ; and, when they had done so, every one of them 
should have been very tenacious to observe and keep 
the law that was written on his own piece, to the total 
neglect of what was written in all the others." 

It is not possible for us to conclude that any profes- 
sors of Christianity, who acted thus, could ever be 
deemed the servants of God, to observe his laws, when 
they only paid regard to one particular branch or piece 
of them. The true christian will apply this to himself. 
He knows, and desires always to bear in mind, that the 
same God who wrote one of the commandments, wrote 
also all the others. He, therefore, feels himself under 
every high and equal obligation, to observe and obey the 
one, as well as the other : nor does he think that he 
observes any aright, unless he regards them all ; and 
this he does, because his God requires it of him. As the 
holy and obedient servant of God, in imitation of the 
pious Zacharias and Elizabeth his wife, " he walks in all 
the commandments &x\&ordinances of the Lord blameless" 
Such is the nature of the service the real christian gives 
to his God. If, therefore, my reader, thou desirest to 
be a christian indeed, go and do thou likewise. 

5. Before I quk the 'general view of the nature of 
that service the true christian owes and ever wishes to 



41 

give to his God ; I would observe that he feels it his 
bounden duty and highly reasonable service) not only 
to serve him with all he is, but also with all he has. What^ 
ever the Lord bestows upon him, whether time, talents, 
riches, gifts, power, or honor ; he only considers him- 
self as the steward of God, his tenant at will, to whom 
he is accountable, either for waste, embezzlement, or non- 
improvement of every talent or blessing he possesses. — 
What, therefore, he receives from his heavenly Father's 
bounty and goodness, a deep sense of his obligation en- 
gages him to employ for his Lord's honor and glory. 
Does he possess wealth, estates, or riches ? He hears his 
God say, " honor the Lord with thy substance, and with 
ll*e fir 'St fruits of all thine increase" (Pro v. 3. 9.) Has 
God endowed him with shining parts, learning, and su- 
perior knowledge, in whatever sphere of life the provi- 
dence of the Lord has placed him, he certainly desires 
to lay them all out for and improve them in the service 
of God, and the interest of true religion among men. 
He feels that nothing he has is his own, but only gifts 
lent him and intrusted to him, for a short season, with 
this solemn injunction from his great Master, " occupy 
''till I come." Hence, he desires, as a faithful servant \ 
diligently to improve all his Master's goods for his ho- 
nor ; knowing that he has a right to expect this at his 
hands, infinitely more than he can expect obedience 
from the best and most faithful of his servants. For it 
is not possible to suppose that he serves God as he ought 
to do, unless he serves him with all his faculties and 
with ail his powers ; and employs and improves what- 
soever he has, not for his own indulgence, gratification, 
honor, profit, applause, or pleasure ; but for the honor, 
praise and glory of that God, from <c whom every 
good and perfect gift cometh" The words of his graci- 
ous Saviour rest with impressive power on his heart, 

{ * Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, fhall 
F 



42 

cnlev into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth the 
•will of my Father which is in heaven" Therefore, he 
desires so to let his light shine before men, that others 
may see his good works, and glorify his Father which is in 
heaven." 

Finally, I would observe that in every varied view of 
the nature of that holy and devoted service the true 
christian gives to the Lord, it argues and implies not 
only faithfulness and constancy ; but an holy steadfast- 
ness and perseverance unto the end. It is not he that 
puts the gospel-armour on, and continues to fight, for 
a while, under the banner of the cross ; but he, that 
rights his way through and maintains the conflict 'till he 
is made more than a conqueror, that shall obtain the 
prize, and enjoy the final triumphs of Christ, as the 
captain of his salvation. As the christian's whole life is 
a warfare, a severe combat, and as he is called to " wres- 
tle not against flesh and blood (only), but against prin- 
cipalities, and against powers, against the rulers of the 
darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in 
high places : he finds it absolutely necessary to take 
unto him the whole armour qf God, that he may be able 
to withstand in every evil day of trial, affliction, temp- 
tation, persecution, desertion, or sin, and " having done 
all to stand" He is fully aware, the enemies of his 
soul are many, subtle, and vigilant ; that he has no time 
either to put off or lay down the arms of his spiritual 
warfare, lest the enemy should watch the opportunity 
of the unguarded moment, and thereby gain an advan- 
tage, if not a signal and complete victory over him. The 
experienced christian, or the veteran spiritual soldier, 
in the camp of Jesus Christ, is not ignorant of Satan's 
devices. He can shew the young christian many a scar 
he has received in the field of battle, and that he has fre- 
quently gained courage and fortitude, a9 well as expe-^ 



43 

rience^ -as it were sword in hand, even by his defeats, 
This teaches him to be more circumspect and vigilant in 
future ; while he hears a voice, as it were, behind him, 
saying, christian, " be not high-minded but fear " and 
" let him, that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall." 
The nominal christian, indeed, thinks it so easy a thing 
to get to heaven, that he can hardly miss of it ; but the 
real believer in Christ. fears lest, a promise being left him 
of entering into his rest, he should seem to come short of 
it J' This conscious fear of his own weakness and imbe- 
cility, and the surrounding snares and dangers to which 
he is exposed, excite and stir him up to increasing zeal, 
diligence, and activity in the use and improvement of 
all the means of grace, that he may not only hold on 
his way, against the combined opposition, craft, and 
subtilty, of all his enemies ; but, having obtained help 
of God, he may be able to endure unto the end; assured, 
from the authority of his Lord, that only such shall be 
finally saved. Upon this holy ground, therefore, he is 
found stedfast and unmoveable, always abounding in the 
work of the Lord, forasmuch as he knows his labor shall 
not be in vain in the Lord. 19 

I come now to shew that the holy and devout chris- 
tian is not only taught of God, as to the nature of that 
pure and spiritual service he ought and desires to give to 
his God ; but also the principle and motive from which 
that obedience and service must spring and flow, and 
the manner in which every service and holy duty are to 
be performed. 

He very well knows that if he appears as zealous for 
all the outzvard services of religion as the Pharisees were 
of old, makes long prayers 'till his tongue cleaves to 
the roof of his mouth, fasts his body to a skeleton, so 
abounds in cjiarity as to give all his goods to feed the 



u 

poor, and after aft his body to be burned, if he has not 
charity, it profiteth him nothing. (1 Cor. 13. 1. 
&c.) That is to say, if it proceedeth not from a 
principle of pure love to God, gratitude to Christ, and 
real heart-felt compassion to the poor ; it is no accepta- 
able service rendered to God, but becomes like sound- 
ing brass or a tinkling cymbal. The christian must have 
no sinister motives, selfish or proud ends in view ; but 
to render his obedience to the laws of his God pleasing 
and acceptable in his sight, his every service must be 
performed with a sincere or perfect heart, with all up- 
rightness, sincerity, and integrity, before him. It is 
the principle alone that renders the action, or duty per- 
formed, good or bad, right or wrong, with God. The 
Pharisee and Publican both went up to the Temple,, they 
both prayed to God ; but the principle of the Pharisee 
was pride and ostentation, and his motive only to be seen, 
admired, and applauded, for superior piety and sanctity, 
by his fellow men : The Publican prayed from the 
deepest sense of his own sinfulness, vileness, and un- 
worthiness ; abased, abashed, confounded, and self-con- 
demned, he durst not so much as lift up his face to hea- 
ven ; mercy was all his plea, when smiting upon his 
breast , with every token of contrition and godly sorrow, 
he cried, God be merciful to me a sinner. In this strong 
instance the christian sees the specific and marked dif- 
ference both of principle and motive between the two 
characters, and the ground on which God accepted the 
Publican, but rejected the proud Pharisee. The Pub- 
lican abased, but the Pharisee exalted, himself before 
God: whereas the Lord says, " every one that exalteth 
himself shall be abased, but he that humbleth hi?nself shall 
be exalted" 

But the devout christian not only nicely and scriptu- 
vally examines the principle and motive from which all 



45 

the religious services and obedience to God's laws ori- 
ginate and flow; he no less respects, and/jtfT/s special 
regard to, the ways and manner in which he performs 
every duty and renders every homage of holy adoration 
to the Lord, that he may never offer to the heart-search- 
ing God " the sacrifice of fools" 

He marks, with just discrimination, the difference 
between the outzvard service of the lips, the prostrate 
body, and the bended knee, and that inward reverence 
and spiritual worship of the soul, which the devout 
worshipper ever desires to give to his God. There is 5 
I presume, nothing he more sincerely deprecates and 
dreads than falling under the severe and awful censure 
of the Prophet Isaiah to the old Testament Church, and 
that of his divine Saviour to the new. — " This people 
draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth 
me with their lips ; but their heart is far from me." 
(Matt. 15. 8.) Because he knows, that that righteous 
and holy God, with whom he has to do, u is a spirit" 
and requireth sincerity and truth in the inward parts ; 
therefore, if he will worship him acceptably, he must 
worship him " in spirit and in truth" On all occasi- 
ons, under all circumstances, in all situations, and in all 
places ; whether in the closet, in the family, or in the 
holy Temple of the Lord, he desires, in every act of reli- 
gion, to honor and worship God with the inward wor- 
ship of the soul. How different is this picture, or repre- 
sentation, of true religion or spiritual worship, from 
that of the light and airy professor, who considers it a 
business of so trivial and secondary importance, that; pro- 
vided he pays his Maker the decent compliment of ap- 
pearing, merely, with his body once a week, in the house 
of God 5 though he studiously leaves his whole soul be- 
hind, and diligently employs all the rest of the Sabbath 
in the most unmeaning and frivolous visits if not in the 



46 

most notorious and criminal manner, either in feasting 
or drinking to excess, be is perfectly satisfied. The true 
christian says, iC come not, my soul, into their secret ; 
mine honor, be not with them united'." 

2. While the real christian is conscious, in alibis du- 
ties of religion, of the necessity of giving to God an 
inward and spiritual worship ; be is far from thinking 
tbis is all that is required of him, in order to prove by 
his conduct, that he is a christian. He is equally soli- 
citous, in bis every holy duty, to serve God with an 
holy fervor, as well as with the inward and spiritual 
woiship of his soul. He adopts the language and de- 
sires cheerfully to obey the injunction of St. Pawl, 
" fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.'*'' Indifference and 
lukewarmness, in the cause of God and of 'filial piety ', he 
finds as abhorrent to the tender and best feelings of his 
heart, as he knows it is displeasing to his Lord. He 
pants after and wishes to catch the sacred flame of holy 
David, when he cried, " as the hart panteth after the 
water brooks, so -panteth my soul after thee, O God. 
My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God ; when 
shall I come and appear before God ?" (Psalm 42. 1, 2.) 
In this holy zeal and fervour of devotion, he desires 
not only to copy the example of pious David, but to 
imitate the conduct of his Lord ; whose soul was so fired 
with ardent zeal and fervour for the honor and service of 
the Lord, that he cried out, " the zeal of thine house 
hath eaten me up." 

Though this is the leading bent, temper, and prevailing 
disposition of the christian's mind ; he dares not to say 
he always feels an equal flame of divine ardor, in the work 
and service of his gracious Lord and Saviour, or that he 
has no changes. This is far from being the case with 
him. He experiences, at times, dark and gloomy pe- 



47 

riods of awful deqdness, barrenness, and stupidity; when 
he cries out, in the language of the church, by Isaiah, 
" my leanness, my leanness, woe is unto me." Neverthe- 
less^ generally speaking, at the worst of times, such is 
the steady flame of his love to Christ, Zealand delight in 
his service, that with holy rapture he can say, " the 
desire of my soul is unto thy name, and to the remembrance 
of thee." iC For whom have I in heaven, holy Jesus, but 
thee? and th,e.re is none upon earth, that I desire in com- 
parison of thee ! Thousha.lt lead me, by thy counsels, and 
afterwards receive me to glory." 

3. In all the sacred transactions that pass between 
the true christian's' soul and his God, he is ever careful 
to be possessed with a filial fear and a spirit of solemn 
aive and profound reverence of the majesty of God, He 
hears his heavenly father say, "God is greatly to be 
feared in the assembly of his saints, and to be had in ho- 
nor, and reverence, by all those who stand round about 
him" 

While the nominal christian, and the formal profes- 
sor, and the self-righteous Pharisee, dare rush intp the 
more immediate presence of God, in alight, airy, tri- 
fling, and presumptuous manner, with as much indiffer- 
ence as the warlike horse rushes into the battle, neighs 
at the trumpet, and laughs at the glittering spear : The 
devout christian draws near to God, in every holy act 
and service of religion, with the deepesthumility ; under 
a sense of the holy majesty and greatness of God, the 
feeling of his own unworthiness, and with sacred solem- 
nity and reverence. He remembers that God is in hea- 
ven, exalted in his name and nature, above the highest 
possible praise that any created intelligences can give 
unto him ; and yet is nevertheless adored and worship- 
ped, in the most ennobled, sublime, and perfect strains, by 



48 

infinite myriads of angels, and " the spirits of just men 
made perfect" who continually bow and bend around 
his throne ; but that he is a poor crawling worm of the 
earth, and a miserable, helpless sinner; therefore, that 
" his words should be gracious and few, 17 uttered from the 
heart, and under the impression of that solemn truth, 
" thou Godseest me" Such was the sense and feeling that 
Abraham the friend of God, and the father of the faithful, 
had, when he stood before God, and pleaded in behalf of a 
wicked and devoted Sodom. (Gen. 18. 27.) " Behold 
now, 4C says he," I have taken upon me to speak unto 
the Lord, which am but dust and ashes" And such is the 
feeling, that every child of true grace possesses, when 
he approaches the supreme Majesty of heaven. He is 
conscious that the God, with whom he has to do, is a God 
glorious in holiness and fearful in praises ; therefore, he 
trembles at the thought of rushing irreverently into the 
divine presence, like a dissembler with God ; but rever- 
ently and holily, as feeling himself like an atom in an 
atom world. The grace of Christ makes him humble, 
simple, and teachable as a child, like St. Paul : hence, 
with him, he considers himself less than the least of all 
saints, to whom the grace of Christ is given ; and, from 
a view of his own vileness and unworthiness, is afraid to 
look upon God. But, by an eye of faith, looking to his 
glorious Redeemer and advocate with the Father, he is 
emboldened to draw near, in deep humility, yet with a 
filial boldness, unto a " throne of grace, that he may 
obtain mercy and find grace to help him, in every time of 
need." 

4. The devoted, sincere, and faithful christian is 
equally sensible, from the experience of his own heart, 
and the word of his God, that all his knowledge, gifts,- 
professions, services, and obedience to the laws of his Godj 
are of no value, nor shall ever find acceptance xvith God ; 



49 

unless they are allfree and voluntary, and not the effect 
of constraint or slavish fear. 

When God said to Abraham, " take now thy son, 
thine only son, Isaac, and offer him upon one of the 
mountains,that I will tell thee of ;" Abraham well knew 
if his obedience had not been prompt, free, and volun- 
tary, it would have been deemed no obedience by his 
God ; but he staggered not at the promise of God, 
through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory 
to God ; and he was called the friend of God. The chris- 
tian in like manner knows, that all obedience to the 
laws and commands of God, which is either the effect 
of a slavish fear, or arises from constraint, and is not 
the spontaneous motion of the will, is no acceptable 
obedience or service offered to the Lord. The Father's 
gift of his beloved and only begotten Son, to become the 
Saviour of the world, was altogether voluntary &n&free ; 
he gave his Son — and Christ, in the most gracious and 
voluntary manner, gave himself , saying, " Lo, / come, 
I delight to do thy will, O my God ; yea, thy law is 
within my heart." On the same ground, and from the 
same voluntary motion, or volition of his renewed will, 
the christian also feels all his obedience to the divine 
commands and laws of his God to be voluntary and free. 
Or, in other words, he delights to serve and obey the 
law* and statutes of his Lord, with a willing mind. He 
desires to have all the powers of his mind and the affec- 
tions of his whole soul carried out after and exercised in 
the holy service and work of his heavenly Father. 
He delights to do it, because his heart is fixed upon 
God, and inflamed, with an ardent love towards him, 
while he finds his chief and supreme delight in him, and 
him alone ; yea, grace has now made it his meat and 
drink to do his will, and he ventures humbly to say, in 

the language of his divine Lord, / delight to do thy wilU 
G 



50 

V my God, for I would have all thy laws written upon 
the living tablet of my heart. And this he does only 
in obedience to the commands of that covenant-God in 
Christ, who hath said to him, " Thou shalt love the 
Lord thy God, and serve him with all thy heart, and 
•with all thy soul." It is thus that the christian chooses 
and esteems the service of the Lord before and above 
all other things. If I may so speak, it is not only his 
daily and constant business and divine employ ; but 
his highest happiness, and the most sublime recreation 
and pleasure he finds on earth. Let the believer in 
Christ now speak for himself, and testify whether it is 
not in this way and after this manner that he delights in 
the service, and follows the ways of his God. His 
heart being decidedly on the side of God, all his servi- 
ces are free and voluntary. He serves his Saviour with 
a cheerful and a willing mind. On the other hand, this 
can never be said of the mere nominal christian, or gay 
professor of religion. Whatsoever such a character pre- 
tends- to do for God, he cannot be said to> serve God, 
because he does it not from love, voluntarily, but against 
his will ; his heart is not in it, inasmuch as he acts con- 
trary to the leading bent and strong inclination of his 
whole soul. It is readily acknowledged that as far as 
the mere outward act, and the public service goes, he 
may appear to do that which God appoints and com- 
mands ; nevertheless, with his heart, and inwardly he 
does it not, because his " carnal mind is enmity against 
God ;" and his whole soul is so averse to it, that, for this 
very reason, it cannot be owned as the, service of God, 
since it is not the service of the whole man, body, soul, 
and spirit, offered as a willing sacrifice unto God, as the 
christian's most reasonable and delightful service. 

5. Before I quit this important branch of the true 
christian's character, as it respects the way and manner 



51 

in which he is bound and always desires to serve and 
obey his God ; I would shew, that there are two things 
which he considers, in all his holy services offered to 
the Lord, as more specially necessary, that his every 
offering may be well-pleasing in his sight. And he 
views these two points as most essential parts of his 
christian character. 

The first and principal part is, that all his services 
and offerings, of every sort and of every kind, are 
offered and done in faith, and with a single eye to the 
glory of God. 

If his whole ohedieace to the laws of God is not the 
effect and immediate fruit of a true and living faith in 
Christ, he knows it is no evangelical obedience in the 
sight of the Lord Jehovah ; because " without faith. 
it is impossible to please God" He is taught to view, 
and believe in Christ, as his head, his root, &nd that 
true vine unto whom all the branches are united by a 
vital, spiritual, mysterious, and indissoluble union ; and 
from whom all their fruit is found. By virtue, there- 
fore, of his union with Christ, he becomes one of those 
branches that bear fruit to the Lord's glory, and whom 
the Father purges that it may bear more fruit : for 
every day's experience teaches him that from Christ 
" his root, he receives all his sap and nourishment, and 
that without Christ (or, as the Greek word \s,severedfrom 
Christ) he can do nothing." Faith he considers as the 
cardinal grace, by which he lives upon Christ, (Gala. 
2. 20.) and derives fresh strength, life, and comfort 
from him ; strength for every service, work, labour, or 
suffering, he is called unto. But this faith is the gift 
and operation of God ; (Ep. 2. 8.) and, as such, it works 
by love, is said to purify the heart, and produce much 
fruit to the praise and glory of God. This true : and 



52 

living faith in Christ, therefore, is as clearly discovered 
and as distinctly marked and known to be real and genu- 
ine faith, as the nature, property, and quality of the tree 
is known by the fruit it bears. Moreover, the Father, 
in the gracious character of the heavenly husbandman, 
(John 15.) is said to purge all these branches ingrafted 
into Christ, the true vine, and by this operative faith 
deriving fruitfulness from him, in order that they may 
bear or bring forth more fruit. This view of the nature 
and effect of true faith, the christian sees, cuts off, for 
ever, every occasion and ground of cavl or objection 
from those, who affirm that faith in Christ is both un- 
friendly and inimical to the best interest of good 
works. So far from it, it has the very opposite effect 
and tendency, and proves, as it were, the parent and 
principle of all pure obedience and true godliness in the 
world. This holy faith in the christian is so active and 
lively, that it urges him on to every " work of faith, 
labour of love, and patience of hope," in our Lord Jesus 
Christ. And he delights to hear his Saviour say, 
ic herein is my Father glorified that ye bring forth 



As all his holy service and every act of evangelical 
obedience to the laws of God are the immediate effect 
and offspring of faith, the christian, in all the offerings 
he presents to God for acceptance, has a special regard 
to Christ, both as his atoning Priest, and the golden altar 
on which all is to be offered to the Lord ; that his offer- 
ings and services, being perfumed with the much in- 
cense of the precious merits and blood of Christ, may 
ascend up, as a sacrifice of a sweet -smelling savour, before 
the throne of the Lord God Almighty. 

While the whole and every part of his obedience, as 
above stated, is done in faith, and with a direct view to 



53 

Christ, as that altar on which all is to be offered ; the 
christian is careful that every thing is done, with a sin- 
gle eye to God's glory. This is his great aim and su- 
preme end in all his actions. He honors the admoni- 
tion, direction, and apostolical advice of St. Paul, 
" whether, therefore, ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye 
do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10. 31.) Inthis 
respect, I may venture to affirm, the true christian's con- 
duct stands in direct opposition and contrast with that 
of the self-righteous Pharisee : Our Lord azures us this 
man does all his works " to be seen of men" Pride, 
ostentation, self-sufficiency, and the applause of men, 
are the prominent features of his character. As they do 
all their works to be seen of men, Christ tells us, 
" they make broad their phylacteries, enlarge the bor- 
ders of their garments, love the uppermost rooms at 
feasts, and the chief seats in the Synagogues, greetings in 
the markets, for a pretence, to make long prayers, and to 
be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi." (Mat. 23. 5, 6, 7.) 
Such is the spirit, temper, disposition, aim, and end of 
the Pharisee. All his views centre in himself, and the 
end of his creed is, " God, I thank thee that I am not as 
other men are" He has no idea, in his duties or reli- 
gious services, to aim at the praise and glory of God his 
maker, benefactor, redeemer, and judge; because all 
his views, aims, and ends, wholly centre in himself. The 
pride and glory of self is the great Diana or idol, which 
he worships. He frequently sacrifices truth, honor, 
and conscience, to this shrine; and, provided his ambi- 
tion, in the specious appearance of religion, is gratified, 
he is perfectly satisfied about all the inward parts of 
religion and the weightier matters of the law, such as 
judgment, righteousness, and truth." Not so the real and 
experimental christian. Such are his high and ennobled 
ideas of God and inward, vital piety, that self is annihi- 
lated, pride subdued, self-righteousness laid in the dust, 



54 

the sinner deeply humbled, God highly exalted, and 
Christ all in all. 

Reader, how different the picture ! Who is it like \ 
To which of the two characters dost thou belong ? If 
thy heart is wholly on the side of God, thy soul lies in 
the dust, abased and self-abhorred, with Job crying-, 
" Lord, I am vile, what shall I answer thee ?" Hence, 
thy will now will only be the will of thy God, the pro- 
moting his interest among men thy first grand design 
and aim, and the display and manifestation of his glory 
in thy own heart and in the world the last end in all 
things. 

The second thing the christian always has in yiew in 
all his services and holy offerings, next to the glory of 
God, which he deems of essential importance, is the 
edification of his own soul, or his advancement in know- 
ledge, his growth in grace, and the increasing devoU 
edness of his heart to God, and the holiness of his whole 
life and conversation in his sight. 

It is for this end and purpose the christian sees so 
much the necessity of paying the most diligent atten- 
tion to all the means of grace, whether private or pub- 
lic, appointed by his God. He feels the importance of 
St. Peter's advice, " but groxv in grace, and in the 
knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" To 
accomplish this grand object, he carefully reads and 
studies his Bible, and other excellent books, calculated 
to inform his judgment, and enlarge his views in religi- 
ous knowledge. He also diligently and constantly at- 
tends the well informed, judicious, and faithful preach- 
ers of the gospel of Christ, his appointed ministers, as 
a great means of edification ; because he knows, ct faith 
■cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. n 



55 

This makes him frequently cry out, in a kind of holy 
rapture, " how beautiful are the feet of them, that preach 
the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good firings** 
(Rom. 10. 15.) He hears not as a critic, to cavil at the 
faithful word, and find fault, but with a teachable, hum- 
ble spirit, and with child-like simplicity, for his soul's 
immediate and spiritual profit and edification. Thus 
hearing the faithful word of God, not as the word of men, 
but as it is in truth, the word of God, and receiving it 
by faith into his heart, it becomes that ingrafted word 
which is able to save the soul. In this precious word, 
like David, he rejoices, and in God's word he comforts 
himself ; because he has learnt by happy experience, 
" that man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word 
that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." And when- 
ever he hears the blessed word of Christ preached in all 
its inward experience, "as with the Holy Ghost sent 
down from heaven," and in all its heart- felt power, his 
soul feasts upon it, as upon marrow and fatness, and he 
praises God with joyful lips. 

In the same gracious view and for the same blessed 
end, his spiritual progress and the edification of his 
soul, he equally delights in, and feels it his high and 
dignified privilege to pay a strict, regular, and constant 
attention to, the holy commemoration of the death and 
sacrifice of his Lord, thereby showing forth his death 
'till he come. Herein he obeys the command and so- 
lemn injunction of his Lord, " do this in remembrance 
of me ; " — in remembrance of what I have done and suf- 
fered for your sins, to bear your curse, and for your 
souFs eternal salvation. The christian desires, on all 
occasions, " to draw near in faith, and take 1 this holy sa- 
crament to his everlasting comfort" He finds it, to 
speak in David's pastoral language, one of the green 
pastures of his Lord ; and, from time to time, in the holy 



56 

celebration of it, he hears his gracious Saviour say, 
" eat, O friends, drink ye, drink abundantly, O my 
beloved." Sometimes he is favored with such Bethel 
visits at this holy table, that in divine extacy he cries 
out with the astonished Apostle, " Lord, it is good for 
us to be here?'' Nor dares he, like many others, slight 
the privilege, neglect the duty, or from any idle or fri- 
volous excuse turn his back frequently on the sacred 
table of his Lord. Rather, to keep his faith and expec- 
tation of good things to come all alive, he wishes, as 
often as possible, to enjoy the blessing, because it 
sweetly reminds him of that happy moment when he 
shall sit down at the " marriage supper of the Lamb in 
heaven." 

Nor is the consistent christian less attentive to or less 
constant in the duty of prayer. Prayer he considers, if 
I may so speak, " as the breath of the new creature. 1 * 
From the moment of his regeneration or new birth, as 
the new born infant, or like Paul when called by Christ, 
it may with propriety be said of him, " behold, he pray- 
eth." Prayer is his delight, his high privilege, his 
sacred pleasure. Does his Lord say, " enter into thy 
closet and shut thy doors about thee," he enters in, and 
'* prays to his Father that sees in secret, that he may re- 
ward him openly." 

In closet prayer he enjoys holy and, sometimes, inti- 
mate and familiar communion with his gracious God and 
holy Saviour. He says, 

" With him sweet converse I maintain ; 

Great as he is, I dare be free ; 
1 tell him all my grief and pain, 

And he reveals his love to me." 

In all situations, under all circumstances, on all occa- 
sions, under every trial or temptation, distress or afflic- 



57 

tion, however sharp or however long ; he finds prayer 
like a never failing balm. When overwhelmed with 
sorrow, he flies to his God and cries, " Lord, I am op- 
pressed, undertake for me" or, " lead me to the rock that 
is higher than I." I may say of him truly, he is a man of 
much prayer ; because he cordially receives and de- 
lights to obey the Apostle's direction, " watch unto 
prayer — and pray without ceasing" He has always 
some sin to confess, some neglect or omission to lament 
or bewail — some short-coming, deadness, or negligence 
to acknowledge or weep over — some mercy, grace, or 
blessing to ask, or some favor to crave: therefore, 
prayer is always seasonable to him. It is the daily bu- 
siness of his life, the solace of his heart, his comfort in 
trouble, his joy in sorrow, his ease in pain, his support 
and succour, under every pressure and trouble, and his 
never-failing spring and source of comfort and delight. 
He can as soon cease to_ breathe, as cease to pray. The 
duty is so congenial with his new nature, that the more 
his soul is exercised in prayer, the more he enjoys it, 
and so much the more his soul pants after God ; and 
" he prays ahvays with all prayer and supplication in the 
spirit, and watches thereunto with all perseverance and 
supplication for all saints" (Eph. 6. 18.) Nor is he 
weary of the divine employ, but desires to continue in 
the holy exercise, until prayer shall give place to praise, 
and he shall praise his God in more noble, more sublime, 
and eternal strains of praise above. 

My christian reader, say now, are these thy views of 
inzmrd, vital, and experimental religion ? Dost thou pro- 
pose no less an end, in all thy religious exercises and 
holy duties ; namely, the advancement of thy Father's 
glory, and the edification of thine own soul in his sight, 
thy progress in holiness and every amiable christian 

virtue, and thy growing meetness for future bliss, 
H 



58 

Before I close this first branch of the delineation of 
:he true christian's character, as it respects the right 
and scriptural knowledge of God, and o f that service he 
desires to give him, — the nature 9 ihe way and manner in 
which he wishes to perform every service and every 
duty — and the end he proposes to himself in all ; it may 
be proper and necessary, ad 1 feel it my duty to offer 
three or four reasons, to urge the propriety and neces- 
sity of the thing itse'f, us will for the encouragement of 
the humble, diligent, and steady christian, as also to 
stir up the negligent, thoughtless, and careless professor 
to a deeper sense both of religion and of duty. 

1. The first reason I would offer to the view of the 
christian is the consideration, that the holy service of 
God is perfect freedom, ai a the ways of God, pit ty, and 
true religion are ways of pleasajttness, and all her paths 
'peace. The christ an knows, by present happy expe- 
rience, that filial piety brings its own reward along 
with it even here : that great peace have those that love 
GocCs law, and nothing shall offend them. While the 
wicked are like the troubled sea, whose waters cannot 
rest, but are continually casting forth mire and dirt, 
arid God says there is no peace to the wicked ; the chris- 
tian enjoys an holy seren ; ty in the smile and approba- 
tion of his God, the inward tranquillity of his consci- 
ence, and the sweet possession of that " pea^e of God, 
which passelh all understanding" With holy David 
he says, i( the Lord is the port ion of my soul." He is at 
home with, and in the enjoyment of God, as his portion; 
therefore, he finds not only a perfect J retdom, but a. sub- 
lime delight in his service. His language is, " O how- 
love I thy law — it is my meditation all the day." I 
esteem th\ a oi d more than thousands of gold and silver, 
and thy testimonies are sweeter to my taste than honey 
and the honey-comb. Those are his happiest moments 



59 

on earth, which he spends in the spiritual service of his 
God ; not only that he finds it good to draw nigh to 
God, but because it partakes rn^st of the society and 
employment of heaven. His heart is so set at liberty, 
that the more he is occupied in God, by so much the 
more he enjoys the sublime pleasures and freedom oi his 
service. Those duties which are irksome to the Pha- 
risee, and those self-denials that are burdensome to the 
formalist and the sinner, are the delight of his heart to 
obey and fulfil. He so enters into the nature of the 
Lord's service, andt'.ie holy liberty the disciple of Christ 
finds in it, that, each day, while it brings a foretaste of 
heaven down to his soul, it equally tends to raise his 
heart from earth to heaven, and teacnes him more fully 
and fervently to set his affection on things above, where 
Christ sitteth at the right hand of Go;:, and to enter 
into the fulness of that life, " which is hid with Christ 
in God." Such being the leading bent and tendency of 
his soul, as the needle tu us to the magnet, so his heart 
Inclines to the free service of the Lord ; wfi Je he looks 
forward continually for that glorious period, when he 
shall enjoy the perfect freedom of serving God for ever 
in heaven. 

2. A second reason to be offered, which has great 
weight and importance on the christian's mind, is s 
" that the eyes of the Lord are in every place, and run to 
and fro through the earthy beholding both the evil and the 
good" — that they are as aflame of fire, to pierce into the 
inmost thoughts and recesses of the soul, — that he not 
only sees what he is doing, but perfectly knows and 
understands all the inward springs of his motions and 
actions, and the very imaginations of his thoughts, 
whether good or bad, right or wrong. Even death shall 
have no covering before him. For this reason the chris- 
tian is fully sensible that it is utterly impossible and vain 



60 

for him to put off his God with the outward form of a 
formal and common /^-service, instead of the inward 
adoration and service of his whole soul. He reflects that 
it is the sovereign prerogative of that holy God, with 
whom he has to do, to u search the heart and try the 
reins'''' — that from him "nosecretsare hid," as all things 
are naked and open before him : so that his God sees, if 
I may so speak, what he is doing within, in the secret 
closet of his soul, as distinstly and clearly as what he 
does without, in the open world at large. Seeing, 
therefore, that all the inward affections and thoughts of 
his soul are as clearly manifest to his God, as the most 
common actions of his body, he is conscious that no 
guile or mask of hypocrisy, in religion, can stand before 
the eyes of his omniscience ; but he is sensible he can- 
not act in a more unmeaning and foolish manner, or be 
guilty of a more ridiculous and abominable sin, than 
making the wretched attempt to cheat and deceive his 
God, to screen or conceal his sins from his all-seeing eye, 
or make the Almighty believe he is holy, because he 
appears to be so in the sight of his fellow men. 

I wish to bring this solemn view of the subject still 
more close and home to the christian's conscience and 
heart. Under the impression that the omniscient eye of 
God is upon his whole church, I will suppose the 
christian has been there ; that, to all outward appear- 
ance, he has engaged in and performed every command- 
ed service and act of devotion to the Lord his God ; 
that he has been present at every public ordinance, has 
joined in prayer, heard the blessed word of God both 
read and preached ; and, to the eyes of men, has worship- 
ped God ; but the solemn question in all this is, has 
he spiritually and with the heart worshipped in the sight 
of that holy God with whom he has had to do ? The heart 
of man is so treacherous, and deceitful above all things. 



61 

that this is much to be feared and doubted ; because 
his God, through every engagement and service,*.* the 
nicest observer, takes the most special notice, not only 
of the outward gesture of his prostrate body and bended 
knee, but also of the inxvard temper and disposition of 
his soul, and the behaviour of his heart before God. It 
becomes, therefore, the christian's sacred duty, " while 
he comes before God as his people comet h, and sits before 
him as his people sit" solemnly to enquire whether, while 
his body has been at church, his soul has not been some- 
where else, or left behind ; and whether his heart has 
not been going after his covetousness, his worldly affairs, 
his riches, estates, pleasures, or in something else, rather 
than that which his heart and thoughts and all his soul 
ought to have been absorbed in and employed about, 
when engaged in so solemn a duty as the holy and pub- 
lic worship of his God. It is, therefore, the bounden 
duty of the christian to remember, that let him be what 
he will, he has to do with a God that will not be mock- 
ed — that whatsoever " he sows, that shall he also reap™ 
On this solemn ground it behoves the christian to ask 
himself, O my soul, how wilt thou answer God, as thy 
eternal Judge and as the Judge of the whole world, 
when he shall accuse and reprove thee to thy face, 
that he saw thee at this, at that, and at other times, play- 
ing the formalist, pharisce, and hypocrite before him ? 
pretending, indeed, and appearing to serve God with 
all thy mind, with all thy soul, and with all thy 
strength ; but, instead thereof, thy soul was removed 
afar off, and thou servest him neither with thy mind, 
heart, or soul, but with thy body and lips only. It 
behoves the christian thus to reflect and consider, when- 
ever he enters into his closet, approaches the holy tem- 
ple or holy table of the Lord, or engages in any other 
religious act ; whether he has not been guilty of this 
sin of hypocrisy. If conscience tells him he has been 



62 

awfully guilty in this matter, he ought not only to re- 
member that it is all well known to his God, and that he 
shall hear of it another day ; but also to repent of all his 
hypocrisies, formalities, and former grievous neglects 
and omissions, that he may not meet with the just doom 
of the hypocrite from an holy God and the righteous 
Judge of the world at last. This solemn consideration 
should deeply interest the christian's mind in all his 
future services, that he may never attempt to put off 
his God, or satisfy his conscience with careless 9 formal 9 
or heartless offerings and services ; conscious that the 
eyes of the Lord run to and fro through all the earth, 
are every instant looking upon him, and that he has the 
most perfect knowledge of his whole heart and conduct, 
as well as of all things done in the world ; therefore, 
that he is bound to serve him in sincerity, with all hh 
mind, with all his soul, and with all his strength, 

3. Another reason to be offered in behalf of the 
christian, to shew both the necessity and propriety of 
his holy and devoted services and whole conduct before 
God, is the consideration, that he desires " to adorn the 
doctrine of God his Saviour in all things." 

As he has felt the saving power of the gospel salvation 
upon his heart, it has taught him, not only to " deny 
all ungodliness and every worldly lust, and to live soberly, 
righteously, and godly in this present world ; but also, so 
to let his light shine before men, the light of a pure doc- 
trine and an unspotted life, that others seeing his good 
works, his works of faith and labors of love for Christ 
and his cause, may glorify his Father which is in hea- 



It sensibly pains his heart, on any occasion, to see the 
blessed, though bleeding, cause of his gracious God and 



63 

Saviour wounded by any of its unsound, unsteady, or 
unholy professors. The very faults and falls of such 
characters put him more upon his guard, and teach 
him, as by a warning voice, to be more circumspect 
and watchful. And he not only watches over his own 
heart and conduct with the most scrupulous exactness j 
but also, with tender and brotherly affection, he desires 
to watch over and exhort his beloved brethren in Christ, 
if to be like-minded one towards another , according to, (or, 
as the Greek, after the example of) Christ Jesus: 
That they might with one mind and one mouth glorify 
God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Horn. 
15. 5,6.) 

For this end and purpose, he desires to set the Lord 
dways before him, that none of his steps may slide ; 
but that, in all things, whether great or small, " he 
may walk worthy of the vocation, wherewith he is called-" 
and that " his conversation may be as it becometh the 
gospel of Christ, that he may stand fast in one and the 
same Spirit striving, together with all the faithful,/br 
the faith of the gospel." With these weapons he repels 
his revilers, silences and confounds his adversaries, and 
justifies as well as honors and recommends the ways of 
God to men. Now say, christian, are these the linea- 
ments which divine grace has stamped upon thy heart, 
and made to appear, as in living characters, in the whole 
tenor of thy life, conduct, and conversation? Is thy 
life circumspect, and ever}' part of thy christian walk 
a pattern of godliness and honesty? If thou knowest 
these things, Christ says, thou canst be only happy in 
the doing them. (John 13. 17.) Strive then, christian, 
and study every day, that your light may shine with 
brighter splendor, and how you may more and more, 
in every possible way, advance his glory and honor in 
the world, and learn to walk more circumspectly and 



64 

more strictly, so as by every good word and work to 
glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

4. The last reason that I shall offer, in favor of the 
christian's zeal ybr and delight in the sublime service of 
his God, is, that, like Moses, ' ' he has respect to the recom- 
pence- of reward" But let no one mistake the chris- 
tian's language. He does not mean that he has any re- 
spect to a recompence of reward, as a work of either 
merit or debt, but as a reward ofjree and unmerited love 
and grace from the God of his salvation. He knows 
full well that, when he has done all his duty, all that was 
commanded him to do, he is a poor, unprofitable ser- 
vant, and has only done what was his duty to do. At 
the same time, he is assured on the authority of his Lord, 
that while all his works, services, and labors of love are 
the effect and immediate fruit of his mercy and grace to 
his heart, he nevertheless takes the most kind and gra- 
cious notice cf the smallest service, even the giving a 
cup of cold water to a disciple in his name, and Jor his 
sake, and hath promised it shall not go without a reward. 
The christian knows he not only serves a gracious, but 
a liberal Master ; and though he doth not and will not 
reward his best and most faithful, active, and diligent ser- 
vants for their works, he will finally reward them ac- 
cording to their works in his sight. He has indeed, a 
present reward from his God in that peace of mind, and 
holy delight he enjoys in the ways and service of his 
God, the inward tranquillity of his conscience, and the 
gracious approbation of his heavenly Father. But, look- 
ing forward to another world and a better state of be- 
ing, his faith eyes a smiling God, and hears him say, 
" eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither hath it 
entered into the heart of man (to conceive) what God 
hath prepared for them that love him." This animating 
prospect invigorates his soul, enlivens his hope, and 



65 

warms his heart 'under all the weight of the present 
cross, and sweetly reconciles his mind to every reproach, 
shame, or suffering, he is called to bear and endure for 
Christ. And this, because he knows, " if a son then, 
an heir, an heir of God, a joint-heir with Christ ; if so 
be that he suffers with him, that he may be also glori- 
fied together. " " For he reckons that the sufferings of 
the present time are not worthy to be compared with 
the glory that shall be revealed in him." O blessed 
abode ! O glorious day ! he cries, when I shall be near 
and like my God — when I shall enjoy the beatific vision, 
and be made eternally happy in the joy of my Lord. 
It will be a recompence of reward, rich and great in- 
deed, and infinitely beyond whatever the christian could 
have hoped for or expected, had not his God given him 
the promise, assurance, and Jirst fruits of it ; " to be 
made like him, and to see him as he is J" 

Before I close this first and principal branch of the 
christian character, what are his thoughts and knowlege of 
God, and the way in which he desires to serve and honor 
him on earth ; it may not be improper or unprofitable 
to address a few words to my readers in general. I pre- 
sume, and am willing to take it for granted, that you all 
profess a desire to go to heaven when you die, and to be 
happy with God, saints, and angels, in glory. If this 
is really the case with you, is it not high time to awake 
out of sleep, out of the sleep of sin and carnal security ? 
If you truly and sincerely desire to be happy, is it not 
more than time that you set about the great and all- 
important work for which God sent you into the world. 
I mean the salvation of your precious and immortal 
soul ? It is a great work you have to do, a mighty ser- 
vice to perform ; therefore, your God says, " what thou 
findest to do, do it with all thy might ; for there is no 
device, knowledge, or work k , in the grave, whither thou 



66 

art going."" No, reader, " now is the accepted time, now 
is the day of salvation." If ye will hear his voice, put 
off the grand business of your souls no longer, make no 
more vain and idle excuses ; but now, while it is called to- 
day, set about the gre.it work, " for the night cometh" 
says Christ, "when no man can work." Set, therefore, 
about the work in good earnest, delay no longer, but 
]et the work and service of God, and the care of your 
soul, be j'our daily, your constant employ,' your high- 
est delight and pleasure. If you desire to become a true 
and real christian, study each day to walk more holily, 
strictly, and circumspectly in God's sight ; and by what 
means you may best advance and promote his interest 
and glory in the world. Do not substitute fancy in- 
stead of true faith in Christ, nor rest in any outward 
performances of religion, however excellent in them- 
selves, instead of real and holy duties ; assured that 
God looks upon your heart, and nicely observes all the 
inward motions of your soul, as well as the outward ac- 
tions of your whole life ; and not only takes notice of 
the matter of your actions and the duties you perform, 
but also of the way and manner in which you perform 
them. You will do well always to remember that the 
eyes of the Lord are in every place, that they are every 
moment upon you ; therefore that you ought to pay 
special attention to every service and duty you render 
unto God, that your inmost soul is sincere and devoted 
in his sight, and that your heart is so steadily fixed on 
him and engaged in his work and ways that you are in- 
clined, an^ by his grace determined, to love and serve 
him, with all your mind, with all your soul, and with all 
your strength. 

If, reader, you are not brought in this thorough way 
and manner to love your God and give him a constant and 
universal service, but rest satisfied with the cold per- 



67 

formance of a few moral duties ; it is but too evident, 
that you are awfully deceiving your own soul, and as 
yet know not the things that belong to your everlasting 
peace. In this state and condition it is impossible, m 
the nature of things, if you believe the word of the holy 
and righteous God, that you can entertain an hope of 
enjoying God in eternity. Be persuaded then, without 
further delay, to think seriously upon the state of your 
soul, ics infinite worth and immortal value — and not 
throw it away in pleasure, the revels of sin, folly, and 
vanity, making the world your God, and serving Satan 
instead of the true, living, and everlasting God : For be 
assured that God, whom you now slight, despise, or set 
at nought, for all this will bring every work intojuag- 
ment> with every secret thing you have done, whether it 
hath been good or evil ; and then, overwhelming thought ! 
you will be filled with confusion and horror through 
eternity, and in vain cry for the rocks to fall upon you, 
and the mountains to .cover you from the wrath of God, 
and the face of the Lamb. But the arms of Jesus are 
still open and extended wide to receive returning sin- 
ners. O fly unto him, and be saved from sin, from 
guilt, from death and hell; that angels may tune their 
heavenly harps, and sing of the greatness of redeeming 
love, manifested by Jesus, the Saviour of the world, to 
poor returning prodigals in his sight. And let the sav- 
ed sinner join in the glorious chorus — " to him, that 
hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own 
blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God 
and his father ; to him be glory and dominion for ever 
and ever. Amen." 

In the preceding pages I have considered, somewhat 
at large, the character of the true christian, as it re- 
spects his setting out in the divine life, or the beginning 
of his religious and christian course. Agreeable to my 



68 

proposed plan I have viewed and surveyed the christian 
on the ground of that true and saving knowledge he 
ought to posses, of God, as a Triune God, in his name, 
nature, attributes, words and works, and all those various 
and endearing re ations in allien he stands to us ; his 
proper and necessary acquaintance with the Lord Jesus 
Christ, and all those suitable and gracious offices and 
characters, which he bears to poor sinners; and the full 
and right knowledge of God the Holy Ghost, as the 
enJightener, quickener, teacher, leader, sanctifier and 
comforter, and as the glorifier of Christ in behalf of 
all his dear children. I have also stated at large, how 
naturally all holy, true, and universal obedience and f Hal 
service to God flows from this right and scriptural know- 
ledge of God ; and also the nature of that service, the 
way and manner in which the christian performs every 
duty ; and the final aim and end he proposes to himself 
in all. Therefore, 

Jn the further delineation of the true christian's 
character, I come now to consider him in the holy, re- 
gular, and steady progress of his life, or his circumspect 
walking, in every varied station and situation, in all the 
laws, statutes, and ordinances of the Lord his God, 
blameless ; so as, in all things, and in every varied 
branch of his christian character, he adorns the doctrine 
of his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in the church, in 
bis family, and in the world. 

In the first part of the delineation of this character, 
I have more particularly considered him in respect to 
the important relations in which he stands to God, as 
bis covenant-God in Christ, and, in that special relation, 
}iis ground of high obligation to honor God, by a care- 
ful and constant atte-ntion to all the duties of the first 
fable ; that is, to love the Lord with all his heart and with 



69 

all his soul, and to serve him with all his strength ; an 
obligation springing from and originating in a right 
knowledge of and a gracious acquaintance with him as 
his God, Father, and Friend, 

I shall now claim the reader's serious attention, while 
I contemplate and survey the true christian's character 
with a more immediate view to the duties of the second 
table, or in all those various relations in which he stands 
in the world ; in each of which relations, some appropriate 
and special duty claims his serious attention and chal- 
lenges his more marked and constant regard. 

But, before I enter fully into this view of the subject, 
I would remark, that love, divine love, is the grand go- 
verning principle from whence all the christian's obe- 
dience, whether to the duties of theirs/ or the second ta- 
ble, proceeds and flows ; love, a supreme love to God, 
and to man for the Lord's sake. The beloved Apostle, 
St. John, testifies, li we love him because he first loved 
us" (1 John 4. ly.) — and when, as St. Paul expresses it, 
M the love of God is shed abroad in the christian's heart, 
by the Holy Ghost given unto him,'''' it begets an ardent 
love in his soul to his God, which il many waters cannot 
quench, neither the foods drown it ; if a man would give 
all the substance of his- house for it, by the christian it 
•would utterly be contemned." Hence, I may venture to 
affirm the christian becomes a philanthropist. Love to 
God pervades his heart and all his faculties and pow- 
ers — love expands and dilates his whole soul — love 
inspires, as it w r ere, his entire man, and prompts 
him to every act of beneficence, kindness, bounty, 
and love to his fellow-men. Pure and heavenly 
love being the spring of all the christian's actions, 
he lives continually under the all-benign and moral 
influence of the gospel of Christ, Christianity, in 



70 

all its various parts and branches, be considers as the 
religion of the God of love. He contemplates Christ 
himself as the gift of the Father's love to a lost world, 
and he admires and adores Christ, as having so loved z^as 
to give him self, freely and voluntarily, for us as a sacri- 
fice, for a sweet-srnelling savour unto God. Hence, if 

I may so speak, the christian desires so to be absorbed 
in the love of God, that his whole soul may be moulded 
into love : because, on this divine principle, all his spe- 
cial attention and universal obedience to all the duties 
of the second table becomes easy, cheerful, delightful, 
and pleasant to bis heart. It is the genuine effect of 
gratitude and love to Christ. 

In this view the holy Apostle St. Paul considers the 
gospel in respect to its moral influence on the heart and 
life of all its true possessors. " The love of Christ con- 
straineth us" — and why ? u because we thus judge, that if 
one died for all, then were all dead ; and that he died for 
all, that they that live should not henceforth live unto 
themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose 
again." Whenever, therefore, and wheresoever this 
blessed gospel of Christ " becomes,'''' by the divine spi- 
rit, " the power of God unto salvation ," (Rom. 1. 16.), 
st teaches the christian, " that, denying ungodliness and 
worldly lust, he should live soberly, righteously, and 
godly, in this present world" (Titus 2. 12.) — including 
herein to the christian the duties of both the tables. 
Though the christian, therefore, as St. Paul observes, 
ci is without law to God, he is under the law to Christ." 
He receives the law, comprehending all the command- 
ments, from the hand of Christ, and it becomes his glo- 
rious rule of moral conduct. He hears his Master say, 

II as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on 
them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." 



71 

On this sacred and holy ground, he takes into his 
comprehensive view, in a particular manner, the great 
design and end to be answered by Christ's coming into 
the world ; which he considers to be twofold. The 
first, that, while he was upon earth, he should make a 
full and complete atonement for the sin of man, by ac- 
tually becoming a curse for him. The second, that, as 
the Lord our righteousness, he should guide and direct 
his feet into the way of holiness and the path of peace. 
By his ignominious death he hath accomplished the 
former, and b}Miis glorious and unspotted life the latter. 
By his death, the christian knows, Christ hath paid the 
debt, which he, as a transgressor, owed to God, and 
completely satisfied the justice of heaven for all the sins 
he had committed in his sight, and by means of which 
he was become obnoxious to his displeasure and wrath, 
as hath been more fully stated in the former part of the 
subject. 

The christian is equally assured, that, as Christ hath 
gloriously satisfied the inexorable justice of God for all 
his sins and transgressions, both original and actual, he 
hath, no less, by his spotless and innocent lift], and holy 
actions, given him an exact and glorious pattern and 
trample for him to imitate and follow. 

This the real christian considers as one great and gra- 
cious end, for which Christ continued so many years in 
our world, and conversed so freely and familiarly with 
mankind. He may, perhaps, conclude that it was for 
this very reason, namely, to set his people a bright and 
shining example, tjiat so much of the conduct, and so 
many of the actions of Christ, are left upon divine re- 
cord, with all their attendant and striking circumstances, 
that they might teach him, in what manner he ought to 
conduct and carry himself, while in this world. For lie 



72 

is fully assured, on God's authority, that all flesh had 
corrupted themselves, and that the very best of men 
" is as a brier, and the most upright sharper than a thorn- 
hedge," (Micah. 7. 4.) and but men at the best, liable to 
fall into every error in their judgments, and into every 
sin and folly in their lives. The very scriptures them- 
selves testify, that even those very characters, of whom 
God himself bears the most honorable testimony, as 
most eminent for faith, virtue, and piety, in their day 
and generation, were men of like passions with others, 
and fell both into sin and error. Those very persons, of 
whom God speaks in the highest terms of praise and ap~ 
probation, as to the general bent and tenor of their lives 
and conduct, for instance, such as Noah, Abraham, Lot, 
Moses, yob, David, and Solomon ; they were all com- 
passed with infirmities. Though Moses was the meekest 
man upon earth, he spake unadvisedly with his lips ; 
David, the man after God's own heart, fell into the most 
abominable sins ; Solomon, the wisest of men, departed 
in his heart from the Lord, after the Lord had appeared 
unto him twice ; Job, declared by his God to be a per- 
fect and upright man, one that feared God and eschewed 
evil, arraigned his Maker, and cursed the day of his 
birth ; and Peter, after the noble confession he had 
made of his faith in Christ, and his determination never 
to forsake his Master, though all the rest of the disci- 
ples should forsake him and flee, did, nevertheless, 
deny him with bitter imprecations and curses. If those 
scripture characters, who were so eminent and renowned 
for integrity and piety, were so full of infirmities, the 
christian concludes, that there never was a man that 
lived and sinned not ; therefore, that no mere man could 
be proposed to him as a complete* and perfect exam- 
ple forhimto imitate a.n(\follo:v in all things. But, when he 
turns his eyes to the God-man, Christ Jesus, in the cha- 
racter of the second Adam, the Lord from heaven, the 



7S 

christian finds in him the most perfect pattern and exam* 
pie, because he, from first to last, " did no sin, neither 
was guile found in his mouth," for he was " holy, harm- 
less and separate from sinners;" so holy, that through 
his whole life he was so perfect in all his words, and in 
every action, thought, and deed, that he could chal- 
lenge his bitterest enemies, the Jews, which of you con- 
vinceth me of sin? Nay, rather, his whole life was one 
continued act of philanthropy, for he only went about 
doing good — a life of unspotted purity and holiness in 
the sight of God his heavenly Father, and of benefi- 
cence and love, of goodness, justice, and bounty to 
men. Now the christian knows and is taught to believe, 
that, as Christ lived, so he should strive to live and act 
in this world ; inasmuch as he hears the Apostle 
John say, " he, that saith he abideth in him, ought him- 
self also to walk even as he walketh" (1 John 2. 6.) 
Hence the christian sees that he is called upon by Christ, 
as one of his disciples, not only to deny himself, but 
also to take up his cross, and follow him whithersoever 
he goeth — to be ready either to do or suffer every 
thing for that Saviour, who hath done and suffered so 
much for him ; yea, so to follow Christ to the utmost of 
his ability in every good word and work, that he may 
welcome every reproach or suffering, and fulfil every 
duty, and encounter every difficulty for his sake, there- 
by proving that he is Christ's disciple indeed. 

It was thus St. Paul, in order to prove himself a genu- 
ine and faithful disciple of Christ, acted ; and, upon the 
same divine principle, exhorted all the professed disci- 
ples of his Master to act ; when he said, " be ye follow- 
ers of God, as dear children." But it may be asked, 
how is the christian to be a follower, or, as the Greek 
word is, an imitator of God ? I answer, in all his insta- 
ble perfections ; but where do tfyey shine with such 
K 



74 

splendor and brightness as in the life of the God-man, 
Christ Jesus ? Further, the Apostle says, " be ye follow- 
ers of me, even as I also am of Christy Hence, the 
christian sees that St. Paul considered and viewed Christ 
as his illustrious pattern and bright example; and, there- 
fore, wished his children to follow him as far, but no 
farther, than he himself followed Christ. 

The christian, indeed, acknowledges that he lies 
under every natural and moral obligation, to be holy 
and righteous in all his thoughts, words, and ways, as 
the creature of God, if the scriptures of the New Testa- 
ment had been silent upon the subject ; because the 
law of God bound him to be holy : but he also feels the 
gospel furnishes him with a new and additional ground 
of obligation, when he hears St. Peter say, " as he who 
hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of con- 
versation - 7 " because it is written, " be ye holy, for I am 
holy." (1 Peter 1. 15, 16.) Yea, more; he saith that 
" Christ hath left us an example, that the christian should 
follow his steps." Nor is this all ; for he also knows that 
his Saviour Christ hath commanded, that all those who 
desire to come unto him, as their Lord and Master, like 
little children, " sitting upon the lowest form, should 
learn of him to be meek and lowly in heart, that they may 
find rest unto their souls." He dares not, therefore, flatter 
himself that, Christ will own him as one of his true dis- 
ciples at last, unless he honors him as his Saviour, 
takes up his cross, denies himself, and obeys and follows 
him, in all his statutes, laws, and ways. 

But the christian is fully aware that, when the scrip- 
tures, in general, urge him to imitate and follow Christ, 
it is by no means to be understood that he is to follow 
him in all things ; because he knows, in the nature of 
the thing itself, this is impossible. For instance, he is 



75 

assured that Christ, as God, knows the hearts of all men, 
and searches the heart and tries the reins ; that he raised 
the dead, opened the eyes of the blind, made the dumb 
to speak, and walked upon the sea as upon dry land, 
&c. All these, and many other things which Christ did, 
when on earth, he did not perform, for the christian's 
example to follow ; but, from time to time, to manifest 
and shew forth his eternal power and Godhead, as at 
the marriage of Cana of Galilee, when he turned the wa- 
ter into wine. 

Moreover, it would be absurd and even blasphemous 
to suppose, that, in the progress and advancement in the 
divine life, the christian is called upon to follow Christ 
in any of those great and glorious things which he both 
did and suffered, as the glorious Mediator and Saviour 
of the world. For he made an atonement for the sins 
of the world, satisfied the justice of heaven, actually be- 
came a curse to take away the curse from man ; and 
also gave laws, statutes, and ordinances, to his church 
and people, by them to be observed unto the end of 
time. In none of these things, therefore, is or can the 
christian follow Christ. But in every thing that Christ 
did as a mere man, who was most perfect in the facul- 
ties of his mind, body, and soul; in all these he com- 
mands the christian in his holy progress to follow him, 
that he may prove himself to be one of Christ's disciples. 
But I shall be a little more particular here, as the sub- 
ject respects the whole life of Christ as 7nan, and, as 
such, the pattern and example for the christian, accord- 
ing to the grace given him, to copy after. Let him, 
first, contemplate the life of Christ in his constant filial 
piety towards God his heavenly Father, and his entire 
devotedness of body, soul and spirit, to his service, 
praise, and glory, and to advance his cause and inter- 
est in the world. In all his devotions, and every secret, 



76 

ox public service his holy soul rendered to his Father, all 
the powers and faculties of his whole man were engag- 
ed, so that every religious act and duty performed by 
him were complete and perfect. As there was no igno- 
rance, darkness, or gloominess hung over his pure mind, 
so there was no error in his judgment. His soul was so 
free rom corruption or pollution, that his conscience 
could never be warped, turned aside, or bribed to evil 
or sin. His willwas perfectly correct and in full unison 
with the will of his Father ; and his affections so fixed 
upon heavenly objects and eternal things, as to be wholly 
free from all disorder or confusion. He could there- 
fore challenge Satan, that, when he came, " he should 
find nothing in him" whereof he might accuse him. In 
a word, while he was upon earth, as man going about 
doing good, his whole heart and soul were in heaven, 
and there, as God, worshipped by all the heavenly hosts 
in glory. The flame of divine love continually fired 
his holy and devoted soul, and ascended up to the 
throne of his Father with inextinguishable ardor, the 
most sublime delight in God, as his chief good, and in 
the most fervent desires after the advancement of his 
glory among men. This fair and transcendently excel- 
lent copy and lovely transcript the christian delights al- 
ways to set before him, to contemplate his unrivalled 
excellence, humbly and constantly to imitate, though 
he falls infinitely short of the bright and charming ori- 
ginal. Further, Christ, while on earth, did not spend 
his precious and valuable time in childish amusements, 
worldly pursuits, airy clouds, empty shadows, and 
unmeaning trifles ; rather, the work which he came to 
do, and the holy service of his God, was his constant 
business, his dally employ, his highest recreation, as 
well as his food. This was his gracious language — 
" My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and t§ 



77 



finish his work:'' (John 4. 34.) This was all he sought 
after while here, his honor, his happiness, his greatest 
pleasure and highest glory, to do the will of him that 
sent him, and to complete the work for which he came 
into the world. Therefore, in his last trying and agoni- 
zing hour, he could appeal to his Father and say, " / 
have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work which 
thou gavest me to do" (John 17. 4.) In this important 
view, the christian, in all his heavenly course, desires 
to follow his divine Master. He wishes so to conduct 
and carry himself in all things here, as not to waste his 
short life, or squander away his precious time in labori- 
ous trifles, idle impertinencies, or endless gaities ; but 
to redeem his time, because the days, in which he lives, are 
evil. There is no charm in carnal and worldly pleasure 
to captivate his heart, or draw away his affections from 
better things. No : his designs are more noble, he has 
better work to do, a more divine employ, while he so- 
journs in this vale of tears ; namely, like his Lord, to 
study and do the will of his Father, and ie to work out 
his own salvation with fear and trembling," lest by any 
means, through the world, temptation, sin, or Satan, he 
should come short of it at the last. He finds it his high- 
est pleasure, his dignity, his honor, to serve and please 
his God, and in every thing to honor him ; and he va- 
lues and esteems his favor, love, and smile, above rubies, 
or all the riches, wealth, or honor, this world hath to 
offer its votaries. Thus he desires now to live as Christ 
lived, and as it becometh a christian to live, that, at 
last, he may be able to say, "for me to live is Christ, 
to die is gain." 

I shall call the christian's attention to another partis 
cular respecting his Lord and Saviour's inward piety 
and devotion, and that holy reverence he on all occasi- 



78 

ons manifested before God, for the honor of his public 
worship ; and in which the christian will diligently and 
constantly obey and follow his Lord. He finds even- 
where in scripture, that always, upon the Sabbath-day, 
Christ constantly attended the public worship of God, 
and honored his holy temple with his presence. Thus 
St. Luke informs him, that, < i when Christ camt to Na- 
zareth, where he had been brought up, As His custom 
was, he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day" 
Let the christian here strictly mark and observe that 
Christ did not go into the Synagogue as by accident or 
chance^ merely to satisfy an idle curiosity, or to gaze 
around and see who was there ; but the Evangelist says, 
it was his constant custom and uniform practice to do so, 
every Sabbath day to attend the public prayers, the 
reading and hearing of God's word, and to unite with 
the whole assembled congregation in the public worship 
and service of the Lord Jehovah. How awfully and 
powerfully does this conduct of Christ, and of the de- 
vout christian, rebuke and sharply reprove many of our 
modern, nominal, and fashionable christians. Too 
many, among our first people, think it beneath their 
dignity to honor the house of God with their presence, 
as if they had no favor or mercy to ask from their God ; 
while others suppose they pay the Almighty a decent 
compliment, if they condescend to appear upon a Sun- 
day morning in his holy Temple ; and actually do as 
much as is necessary for them to do, or all that God 
hath a right to require at their hands. Melancholy 
proof of the fall of man, the corruption of his nature, 
and the alienation of his heart from God ! While I am 
upon this digression from the immediate subject, I 
would observe, that, if there were no other obligations 
lying upon men, as professed christians baptized into the 
faith of Christ, to attend regularly, constantly, and con- 
scientiously, upon the stated and public worship of God, 



' 79 

on the Lord's day, the gracious example and holy, con- 
stant practice, of our all-adorable and ever blessed Re- 
deemer, ought for ever to engage, and in the most effec- 
tual manner oblige and compel every christian to a 
regular, holy, and constant attendance upon the house 
and holy ordinances of God. Because, as those who, 
by baptism, profess themselves to be the disciples of 
Christ, they are bound in this, as well as every other 
appointment of Christ, to obey his command; and I 
humbly suppose there is no one appointment of Christ, 
that the christian is more stritotly bound and solemnly 
obliged, by every sacred tie, to follow him in, than in the 
nature, obligation, place and manner of his worshipping 
the Lord his God. No man can therefore plead, as an 
excuse for his criminal neglect, either caprice or whim, 
pride or folly, sloth or humour, indifference or the 
world ; in as much as he not only acts contrary to the 
holy example of Christ, his professed Master ; butalso 7 
in direct opposition to that positive command, which 
enjoins and obliges him to follow his example. How 
great then is the guilt, and alarming the condition of all 
those, who neglect the public worship of God ? And 
what will they have to answer, when they shall be sum- 
moned to appear before the judgment-seat of Jesus 
Christ? Reflect then, candid reader, if thou professes* 
thyself to be a christian, and as such a follower of 
Christ, it behoves thee very diligently to follow Christ 
in this particular , as well as in all other of his holy ap- 
pointments, ordinances, and laws. 

To return now to the more immediate view of the 
subject in hand, I would call upon the christian, next to 
his contemplation of Christ in every sacred view of his 
character, as man, in regard to his piety towards God,. 
to consider Christ, as his pattern and example, in the 
whole of his life and conduct among men, and as mar* 



80 

with man, I may almost say, from the cradle to the 
cross. I know of no view of the character of Christ 
more strongly marked than this, or better calculated in 
its nature and design, to aid and assist the pious and 
humble christian in all his growth in the divine life, and 
his progress heaven-wards. 

I would, first of all, call upon the younger christian, 
who is but just set out in the divine life, the youth that 
is but just glancing upon eternal things, in order to 
warm his heart and stimulate his youthful progress in 
the paths of piety and every amiable virtue, to contem- 
plate the life and conduct of Christ, when only twelve 
years of age. His exemplary behaviour to his tender 
mother and reputed Father, at this early period, teaches 
you, with most impressive power and energy, the most 
entire subjection and filial obedience to youx parents and 
superiors. It will readily be acknowledged by all, that 
at the very moment he was paying obedience to his 
real mother, as man, he knew that God was his Father, 
because he said to his mother, " wist ye not that I must 
be about my Fathers business ?" He also knew that, as 
God, he was infinitely above his mother, and that she 
never could have conceived and borne him by the miracu- 
lous overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, had he not made 
and supported her. Nevertheless, "though as God he 
was her Father, yet, as man she was his mother ; there- 
fore, he honored both her and him to whom she was 
espoused." Nor did Christ only reverence, respect, and 
honor his mother, while he was upon earth ; but he also 
took the most tender care of and manifested the most 
special regard and affection to her, at the very hour 
when he hung upon the cross, when he said to the be- 
loved disciple, " behold thy mother." It is thus the 
Lord Jesus Christ teaches the youngest christians, both 
by precept and his own bright example, hvw they ought 



81 

to conduct, behave and carry themselves towards their 
superiors, and especially towards their earthly parents , 
to whom, under God, they owe their being ; upon all 
occasions, in all situations, and in every varied circum- 
stance in life. And, above all, they should remember, 
that if their blessed Saviour did not forget or neglect his 
earthy mother, even in his last agony upon the cross ; 
how criminal their conduct will be in the sight of God, 
if they slight, neglect, or despise their parents, in the 
day of their affliction, distress, poverty, old age, and 
death — and how, in this case, they will meet them in the 
day of judgment. While the young christian carefully 
bears in mind the holy and filial example of Christ to 
his parents, as man, let him also solemnly reflect on the 
words of the fifth commandment, " honor thy father 
and mother" and compare it with all the sacred injunc- 
tions and admonitions of the New 'Testament, Ci to obey 
his or her parents" in all things. I am the more par- 
ticular upon this branch of the young christian's duty, 
drawn from the example and conduct of Christ, as man ; 
because I have too frequently beheld an awful remis- 
ness, or total neglect of this most important christian 
duty, in young christians in every class of society, and 
in every character and rank in life. Only set Christ 
before you as yowr pattern, and you will see that you 
honor God and religion, w T hen you highly honor your 
parents. 

Of all the graces, that adorn the christian character, 
there is no one more generally and constantly inculcated 
and pressed home upon the christian, than the lovely and 
charming grace of humility. Christ seems to place it 
among the cardinal graces. In order to check that ris- 
ing spirit of pride and ambition, which, at the earliest 
period, he discovered amongst his chosen disciples, who 

were to be the living xvitnesses of his life and doctrine, 
L 



82 

his passion, death and resurrection ; contending which of 
them should be the greatest, he set a little child before 
them, and said, Ci except ye be converted" from your proud 
and ambitious views of worldly honor, " and become as lit- 
tle children, ye shall in nowise enter into the kingdom of 
heaven." This divine precept he likewise enforced by his 
own illustrious example of meekness and humility. 
ei Take my yoke upon you, and lea r?i of me; for lam, 
meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest unto your 
souls." Such was the humility of Christ, that though 
his whole life was one continued act of bounty, benefi- 
cence, goodness, and love, going about only to do good 
to the bodies and souls of men ; he was attentive, gra- 
cious, and kind to the lowest of the poor, and even, by 
an unparalleled humility, confounded and often silenced 
the opposition and implacable malice of his most bitter 
enemies. There were none, who ever came to him with 
a gracious purpose and for a good end, but, by convers- 
ing with him, hearing his wisdom, and beholding his 
humility, went away improved, and better for his in- 
structions. " lie gave sight, indeed, to the blind, caused 
the layne to walk, cleansed the lepers, made the deaf to 
hear, raised up the dead — and preached the gospel to the 
poor ;" but all this without pride or the smallest ap- 
pearance of ostentation. And, what is most extraordi- 
nary in his life and character, no one, it appears, ever 
came to ask a favor or solicit an act of kindness from 
him, but it was graciously, yet with the dignity becom- 
ing his holy character, kindly bestowed ; while he shewed 
no malice, or, upon any occasion, bore any grudge to 
his most bitter and violent enemies ; but expressed as 
much tenderness, pity, and love, as if they had been 
his dearest and most intimate friends — thus, at all times, 
overcoming evil with good, and manifesting to all that 
he was week and lowly in heart. But the holy Apostle 
St. Paul seems to consider the stupendous display of 



83 

his love, in becoming incarnate, and taking our nature 
upon himself, in order that he might save sinners, as the 
highest act and most extraordinary proof of his humi- 
lity. When he would press upon the minds of the Phi- 
lippian converts that amiable grace, that " in lowliness 
of mind they would esteem each other better than them- 
selves, and let the same mind be in them which was also in 
Christ Jesus :" he specially directs their views to this 
most illustrious instance of unexampled humility in 
Christ, " who, being in the form of God, thought it not 
robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no 
reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant , 
and was made in the likeness of man ; and, being found in 
fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became 
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross " (Phil. 2. 
6, 7.) It was after this manner the Apostle served the 
Lord himself, with all humility of mind. And in the same 
style and language both St. James and St. Peter exhort 
all the followers of Christ, saying, " be clothed with 
humility ; for God resist eth the proud, but giveth grace 
unto the humble" (1 Peter 5. 5.) 

Behold, christian, then the blessed advice given, and 
the glorious example of Christ set before you, as the 
most shining and exemplary pattern of humility ! Let 
it be your fervent desire and earnest endeavor, by the 
Lor.d's help, each day to imitate and copy after the fair 
original; that in your place and station, both in the world 
and in the church, you may become a bright example 
of humility and meekness, for the imitation of all around 
you. Oh! how blessed, how divinely happy, christian, 
will you be, if the grace of God teaches you sincerely 
and constantly to follow your blessed Lord and Saviour 
in his gracious example of humility ! How greatly will 
you honor God, and recommend religion and the cause 
of Christ, by following bim in this particular ! And, 



84 

while you honor Christ and promote his interest, by 
such a modest, unassuming, and humble deportment, in 
the world, you will find it well with your own heart, en- 
joy peace and sweet tranquillity in your own bosom, and 
obtain the smile and approbation both of God and men. 

But, on the other hand, a professing christian of an 
opposite character, for ever stimulated and goaded on 
by a spirit of pride and restless ambition, can neither 
enjoy peace in his own mind, nor, if he has any influ- 
ence, suffer his brethren or the church to enjoy it where 
he is. So far from it, an all-aspiring and ambitious chris- 
tian, who always forgets, " that before honor is humi- 
lity ," may be considered, too frequently, in the charac- 
ter of a common disturber of the peace and unity of the 
church of Christ. As his want of humility forbids him 
the enjoyment of an inward peace, for the same reason, 
if he can prevent it by any means in his power, he will 
not suffer the balmy blessing to be enjoyed by others. 
Above all things therefore, christian, study " to walk 
humbly with thy God" and be kind and loving, affection- 
ate and obliging, to all the followers of the meek and lowly 
Jesus : that the whole world may see thou hast put on 
humility as a garment, and art taught of God to honor 
and respect the holy image and interest of Christ, 
wherever it is to be found among men. Thus shall the 
light of thy holy life shine in the world, for the glory, 
honor, and praise of thy Lord. 

Next to the cardinal grace of meekness and humility, 
as every where inculcated upon the christian in the gos- 
pel of our Lord, and enforced by his own bright and 
shining example, is his readiness to forgive injuries. 
Christ testifies, " it must be that offences come." And 
such, generally speaking, is the irritable spirit of the 
best of men, that offence is often taken upon the slight- 



85 

est occasion, where it was never intended to be given 
When, therefore, Peter came to his Master and said, 
u Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and 
I forgive him ? 'till seven times ; Jesus saith unto him, I 
say not unto thee, until seven times : but until seventy 
times seven." (Matt. 18. 21, 22.) The same truth our 
Lord enforces by St. Luke, saying, " If thy brother 
trespass against thee, rebuke him ; and, if he repent, for- 
give him. And if he trespass against thee seven times 
in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, 
saying, I repent ; thou shalt forgive him." (Luke 17. 
3,4.) Nay, our Lord, in order to impress this truth 
with greater weight upon the christian's mind, goes 
still further, in that inimitably beautiful form of prayer 
which he gave to his disciples. His language is so 
strong and forcible, that he seems, as it were, to make it 
the ground of hope, and reason of his own forgiveness. 
" Forgive us our debts , as we for give our debtors" " For, 
if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father 
will also forgive you. But, if ye forgive not men 
their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your 
trespasses" (Matt. 6. 12, 14, 15.) The adorable Sa^ 
viour of the world not only thus powerfully inculcated 
the doctrine of forgiveness upon every christian's under- 
standing and heart ; but, in the most irresistible man- 
ner, enforced it by his own blessed and gracious example. 
There appears not to have been a single instance or 
occasion in his whole life, in which he did not shew 
a divine readiness to forgive. Though, while only do- 
ing good, he was exposed to continual insults and per- 
petual injuries, his tender, affectionate heart was always 
the same. Revenge never rose in his mind, or inflamed 
his looks or bosom ; but always meek, always mild, the 
law of kindness, love, pity, nndforgiveness, dwelt upon 
his lips and tongue. In this part of the character and 
conduct of Christ, what a greatness of soul did he dis- 



86 

cover to men, while he manifested the most fervent piety 
to his heavenly Father ! Always above envy and rising 
superior to pride, he was a stranger to the base and igno- 
ble spirit of resentment. Such was the kindness of his 
heart and the philanthropy of his holy soul, that, instead 
of resenting injuries and avenging himself, he shewed 
the tenderest pity, compassion, and love, to his greatest 
enemies ; yea more, he prayed for his murderers and 
crucifiers to his Father, and said, " Father ', forgive 
them, for they knoxt) not what they do" 

This, christian, is the noble example thy Lord and 
Saviour hath set before thee, as the daily and constant 
pattern of thy conduct in the forgiveness of injuries. 
Say, christian, is it not worthy thy imitation ? In this 
particular then, under all the oppositions, insults, and 
wrongs, you are called to endure, for the Lord's sake 
and that of his bleeding cause, in the world ; set the 
example of Christ ever before you. Let the same mind 
be in you which was in Christ Jesus, " who hath left 
you an example , that ye should follow his steps — who did 
no sin, neither was guile found i n his mouth : who, when 
he was reviled, reviled not again ; when he suffered, he 
threatened not ; but committed himself (his cause) to 
him thatjudgeth righteously." (1 Peter 2. 21, 22. 23.) 

How different is this spirit of Christ and of the real 
and sincere christian compared, with the spirit that is in 
the world ! What resentment, what pride, what readi- 
ness to revenge the smallest injury, and often when unin- 
tended, do the men of the world shew, even upon the 
slighest occasions ! For the most trivial offence, ma- 
nifesting the most implacable malice and resentment, if 
not bitter hatred. With such characters, they carry 
their opposition even to a proverb, and in the face of 
their Maker dare to say, " though I forgive, I shall 



87 

never forget" How far this spirit, temper, and dispo- 
sition, are from the precepts of the gospel, and the exam- 
ple of Christ, I leave the believer in Christ to judge. 
But, in direct contrast to this unchristian and malignant 
disposition of soul, the sincere christian desires to copy 
after, and imitate the meek and quiet spirit of his Lord 
and Master. He would rather receive an injury than do 
one to another, and forgive, not only until seven times, 
but until seventy times seven, rather than revenge him- 
self upon his most inveterate foes. He is a man of 
peaGe, and studies, as far as lieth in him, to live peacea- 
bly with all men. The grace of his Lord makes him 
willing to receive the most unmerited and unprovoked 
injuries from many persons, and many quarters ; but he 
is anxiously careful to give offence or do an injury to 
none. I may safely venture to say, it is his glory, as a 
christian, to pass over a transgression, and cheerfully to 
forgive, as he hopes to be forgiven of his Lord. 

In this branch of the christian's character I shall 
mention but one particular more. This stands closely 
connected with the preceding view of his life and con- 
duct: I mean his complete subjection and entire submis- 
sion to the civil authority. He is fully aware and deeply 
sensible, from the word of his God, " that the powers, 
that be, are ordained of God ;" and that, as the fountain 
of all power, " there is no power but of God." He sin- 
cerely believes, upon the authority both of the Old and 
New Testament, that all civil government is the appoint- 
ment and ordination of God. On this scripture prin- 
ciple he is fully sensible, " that whosoever resisteth the 
power, resisteth the ordinance of God." With marked 
attention, therefore, he reads and weighs the interroga- 
tion of St. Paul, " wilt thou not be afraid of the power ?" 
For " whosoever resisteth the power, not only resisteth 
the ordinance of God; but they, that resist, shall receive 



88 

to themselves damnation. " (Rom. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.) 
" For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But, 
if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth 
not the sword in vain : for he is the minister of God, 
a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 
Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath % 
but also for conscience sake*' 

The holy testimony of the Apostle rests upon \hz autho- 
rity of Christ his Master, and upon his life and conduct, 
as his sole pattern and example, who would not resist, 
but submitted himself to the civil power and autho- 
rity, which he himself had intrusted to men in this world. 
When the christian considers Christ as God, he knows 
that he possesses all power both in heaven and on earth, 
that he is the sole proprietor and Lord of all worlds ; 
but,having committed all civil authority and power into 
the hands of the civil magistrates, as he was really man, 
in the world, on all occasions, he was submissive and 
obedient to their authority. The christian cannot but 
admire that most remarkable instance of Christ's quiet 
submission to the civil power, in that, rather than give 
offence, he wrought a miracle in order to pay the tax re- 
quired of himself and his'disciple. (Matt. 17.27.) On 
this extraordinary occasion, the incarnate Saviour of the 
world at once manifested his omniscience, and displayed 
his eternal 'power and Godhead. Another striking in- 
stance, in the conduct of Christ and his delicacy and 
faithfulness in never interfering with the civil power, 
appears in his answer to the two brothers, who wanted 
him to determine a controversy between them. " Man" 
saith Christ, " who made me a judge or a divider over 
you" (Luke 12. 14.) As if he had said, man, I have 
received no authority from the civil magistrate to inter- 
fere with or determine such controversies or matters of 
difference between brethren as these. I shall only 



89 

produce a single instance more, which will ever have 
great weight with the true christian, on the head of 
submission and obedience to the civil authority, as re- 
markably exemplified in the conduct of Christ. I allude 
to that awful hour when the powers of darkness were 
let loose upon him, and the officers were sent to appre- 
hend and take him. All power in heaven and earth was 
his, and he could, in the twinkling of an eye, either have 
frowned his enemies into hell, or have commanded more 
than twelve legions of angels to have defended his per- 
son and fought for him, if it had been his sovereign will 
and pleasure ; but he chose neither to employ them in 
his service, nor even suffer his own disciples to make 
any resistance. (Matt. 26. 52, 53.) As it was for this 
end he came into the world, that all things might be 
accomplished which were written concerning him, he 
cheerfully gave himself up into the hands of the civil 
power. He would not resist, though he was the supreme 
Lord and governor of the world. 

Moreover, Christ hath not only given the christian the 
knowledge of his duty, how he ought to honor and sub- 
mit to the authority of the civil magistrate, by his 
blessed example of perfect submission : but he hath 
also enjoined it by his gracious precept. When some of 
his enemies came to him with a view to entangle him in 
his talk, and asked him captiously whether ife was right 
to pay tribute unto Caesar or not ; shewing them a piece 
of the tribute money, he wisely asked them whose image 
and superscription it bore ? They answered, Caesaf's'. 
Then said the Saviour, u render unto Ctesar the things 
that are Cessans, and unto God the things that are 
God's." Thus, christian, thy Lord, both by precept 
and his own constant example, hath taught all his true 
disciples submission and subjection to the civil magis- 
trate, or the powers that be, as ordained of God, for the 
M 



90 

wisest and best purposes of good order and civil govern- 
ment in the world, as well as for the general good of 
society and the peace and comfort of his church among 
men. The truth is, the true christian is the son of the 
God of peace and order, and the disciple of Christ, who 
is by way of eminence styled " the Prince of peace" 
Hence, he ever desires to conduct himself, like his di- 
vine Master, as the child of peace ; obeying every ordi- 
nance of man for the Lor£s sake. This part of the 
christian character stands in pointed contrast with the 
turbulent man, the man of disorder, and the friend of 
anarchy and confusion ; who cannot brook any restraint 
upon his unbridled appetites and passions, and loves no 
government that forbids him the lawless use of unre- 
strained ambition and power. I will venture here to 
say, that there is no truly pious and devout christian, 
who is not a steady friend and warm abettor of every 
well organized and judicious civil government, founded 
upon scripture and christian principles, to be found in any 
part of the christian world. And that for the best of all 
reasons, that he knows his God is the God of order and 
not of confusion, and the author of all good govern- 
ment, for the peace and harmony of all civilized society. 

I shall now proceed, under the general view of the 
christian character, as it respects the duties of the second 
table, to consider him in those various relations and 
capacities in which he stands, as an husband, parent, 
master, and the head of a family — as he stands in the 
world, as a member of civil society — and finally, as to 
his relation to and situation in the church of God. In 
each of these endearing relations and close connections, 
he carefully endeavors and earnestly strives, by the grace 
of God, to shew to the whole world, that he is a sincere 
and genuine follower of Christ. If he has been called 
by grace, at an early period of his life, to the saving 



91 

knowledge of Christ, that grace has taught him, in the 
choice of his marriage connection, to pay strict atten- 
tion to the injunction of the Apostle, " to marry only 
in the Lord." And that, because he is fully assured, 
even in common things, two can never walk together 
except they are agreed ; how much less in the ways of 
piety and religion ! Opposite principles and opposite 
views in the things of God and religion but too plainly 
evince to his heart the important necessity of a unity 
in sentiment and opinion, in order to a perfect harmony 
in affection and in conduct. It cannot be disguised, 
that, for want of paying proper attention to this scripture- 
maxim, too many pious and well-meaning christians 
have formed hasty connections, which have proved the 
bane of each others peace and happiness through life, 
and totally destroyed all the future harmony, peace, 
and comfort of their respective families. While I am 
speaking upon this head, I would affectionately advise 
the young christian to use much prayer to God to direct 
his choice in so serious an undertaking, at the same time 
that he uses every precaution and foresight that human 
prudence and wisdom suggest to his view. Connec- 
tions, thus formed in the holy fear of God, where each 
heart is in unison with the grand concerns of eternity, 
are in my humble opinion the only few happy unions, 
which promise and secure all the happiness that this 
world is capable of affording, in the marriage state* 
Where there is an union of sentiment and opi- 
nion, as well as of heart and affection, in the most 
important concerns of religion, it is but natural to ex- 
pect, in such a family, that prudence and discretion 
guide the reins of both parties, while love and affection 
command the whole. The christian, in the married 
state, considers himself as the head of a family, standing 
in many and various important relations as an husband, 
parent, and master ; in each of which, according to 



92 

the grace given him and the best of his ability, he de- 
sires in all things to obey the injunctions and follow 
the directions and precepts laid down in the holy scrip- 
tures, as the rule of his conduct. 

By these rules, as the head, he governs his whole 
family, in all its branches, with affectionate care, pru- 
dence, and faithfulness, as in the iear of God. The im- 
portance of these duties, at times, lies with great weight 
upon his mind, from a conscious fear either of neglect 
or inability , on his part, to fulfil them all. He feels his 
family as a great trust committed to him of God, and 
for which he is one day to give a very solemn account 
unto him. This serious consideration, as its appointed 
guardian and governor, teaches him, as a christian, to 
look much to God in secret prayer for " that wisdom 
which is from above," that he may know how wisely to 
go out and come in before his family ; maintaining all 
that decorum, order, and regularity, which becomes 
him as the servant of God and the true follower of 
Christ. But, besides the more general order and good 
government of his family, he has a most special regard, 
and pays the most diligent attention to the forming the 
minds, habits, and manners, of the dear children the 
Lord may have given him ; that, in all things, he may 
train them up " in the nurture and admonition of the 
Lord" For this important purpose he gives diligent 
heed to the solemn words of his God ; that the same 
words, which the Lord commands " should be in his 
own hearty he should teach them diligently unto his 
children, and should talk of them when he sits in his house, 
when he xvalks by the way, and when he lies down, and 
when he rises up" (Deut. 6.6,7.) As a man that loves 
and fears God himself, he is at the same time far from 
being satisfied, or concluding he has done all his duty 
towards them, when he has instructed them in the theory 



93 

of divine truth, or taught them a well digested and ju- 
dicious christian catechism. No : he feels it his sacred 
and constant duty, according to the best of his ability, 
to open, explain, elucidate, and press home the force of 
truth upon their tender and youthful minds. He wishes 
them to feel the power, and experience the sweetness of 
the word of God like David, as well as understand its 
general nature, that they may thereby become both 
practical and wise christians. His every private instruc- 
tion and admonition is attended with much secret and 
fervent prayer to God, and frequently with many tears, 
that he would be pleased to crown his humble attempts, 
for their souls' eternal good, with his grace and blessing* 
He desires, and seeks indeed, by every lawful and ho- 
norable means, for their best happiness and comfort, even 
in this world ; but the thing, which, above all others, 
lies nearest to his heart, is the real and sound conver- 
sion of their hearts to God ; because he is fully assured 
from the authority of God's word, however amiable or 
accomplished they may be in all other respects, without 
conversion they can never be true christians in the Lord's 
sight, consequently not heirs of heaven and glory. 

It is with this gracious view, in obedience to the di- 
vine authority, that, as the head and parent of a family, 
he forms the noble and heroic resolution of the pious 
Joshua of old, as for him and all his house y both chil- 
dren and servants, " they will serve the Lord" Hence, 
besides the daily perusal and study of God's word in 
the family, the constant breath of prayer and praise 
ascend, like incense, richly perfumed with the precious 
merits of Jesus, before the throne of God. These daily 
offerings, or morning and evening sacrifices, offered up 
by faith, only in the name of Ch?*ist, he humbly hopes will 
obtain a gracious audience in heaven, and bring down 
showers of spiritual blessings from above upon himself 



94 

and upon every branch of his whole family. For the 
conscientious and faithful discharge of this holy duty 
he exerts all his authority, both as a. parent and master, 
if it becomes necessary, to oblige his whole house to 
the due and regular performance of it. He dares not, 
like good old Eli and too many modern professors, 
leave his children at liberty or unrestrained, in this par- 
ticular;, lest, by such a criminal and culpable neglect 
on his part, he should bring down the heavy judgment 
and curse of the Almighty both upon himself and fa- 
mily, as that aged Priest did : for his God hath de- 
clared unto him, that " he will pour out his fury upon 
the heathen, and upon the families that call not on his 



For the same end and purpose he constantly incul- 
cates upon his children's mind the command of God, 
and their indispensible duty, to honor his holy Temple 
by a regular and constant attendance upon all the pub- 
lic means of grace and ordinances of God ; and, on all 
occasions, especially to give the most serious and de- 
vout attention to the preaching of the faithful gospel of 
Christ : knowing, from his own experience, that not 
only faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of 
God ; but that the gospel of Christ is the power of God 
unto the salvation of every one that believeth. While, 
as the head of his family, he strictly urges a conscien- 
tious regard to these important duties upon his dear 
children, he is no less studiously careful to enforce 
them, with greater weight and authority, by his own 
steady and bright example. It is, if I may so speak, his 
holy ambition, rather that his children should be shining 
christians, and great and honorable in the sight of the 
Lord, than that they should be admired and caressed by 
all the first votaries of this world. As a christian, he 
would wish to obtain the same honorable and justly de~ 



95 

served testimony of divine approbation, which the Lord 
gave to the father of the faithful , when he said, "for I 
know him, that he will command his children and his house- 
hold after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, 
to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon 
him and his that, which he hath spoken of him ." (Gen. 
18. 19.) He can, in this view, say with sincerity, that 
his children are the children of many prayers and tears. 
And, if the Lord his God is graciously pleased to second 
his humble endeavors, and crown them with his grace 
and blessing, he is encouraged to look forward, with 
glowing ardor and an holy rapture, to that illustrious 
day of final triumph, when he shall, with an humble 
boldness, venture without presumption, to say, Lord, 
here am I, and these dear children thou hast given me. 

But there is also a most important and reciprocal duty, 
arising from infinite and continual obligations, owing 
from christian children to their tender, affectionate, and 
beloved christian parents, whose constant study is their 
happiness. 

The most dutiful and affectionate children are in- 
capable of forming any just idea of their beloved pa- 
rents' anxious solicitude and incessant care for their 
good, through the three important stages of their life ; 
that of 'infancy, youth, and manhood. From the earliest 
period of their life, as soon, I may say, almost -as they 
begin to breathe, they claim the constant attention and 
care of their parents. The numerous ills, accidents, 
and dangers, to which their infantile years are exposed, 
fill the minds of their dear parents often with no small 
degree of anxiety and distress. Besides all their little 
cares for their comfort and happiness, the highly im- 
portant and necessary duty of forming their tender and 
docile minds from their earlv years drisht*\o instil into 



96 

tbem, in the first stage of life, all the pure principles of 
religion, morality, and virtue, — to train them up in all 
the habits of early piety, and give them proper notions 
and ideas of propriety, decorum, and a suitable and proper 
conduct, in all their various changes and situations, de- 
mands their unabating attention and diligence. They 
well know that, as it is infinitely more easy to bend the 
tender twig than the sturdy oak, so, in like manner, it 
is more easy and pleasant to bend and turn the tender 
minds of children to religion and virtue ; and that, ge- 
nerally speaking, agreeable to the maxim of the wise 
Solomon, those habits of piety and religion, planted in 
them in the first period of their lives, and those true 
principles and maxims of Christianity then imbibed, sel- 
dom forsake them in after life. Though, in some in- 
stances, they may seem to lie dormant for a time, like 
the seed buried under the clods ; for the encouragement 
of pious parents, blessed be God, we generally behold 
those seeds of early instruction and piety, sown by 
their parents, spring up, at some after period of their 
lives, for their own great comfort and happiness, and 
the glory and honor of God. 

Children, thus instructed in infancy in the most pure 
principles of Christianity and religion, when they arrive 
at the age of youth, are, by this means, preserved from 
a thousand temptations and snares, to which they would 
otherwise be exposed. It is that noble stamina of virtue, 
which is excellently calculated, in its nature, to pre- 
serve them from the defilements of sin, youthful lusts, 
and the surrounding contagion of vice, and every spe- 
cies of immorality. And, wherever we find in youth all 
the amiable and pleasing virtues, which have sprung 
from the first seeds of piety, instilled by their parents 
in childhood, we happily see them, in numerous instan- 
ces, grow up to maturity in the man. These form the 



97 

most estimable part of this character, and make him 
highly respectable among men. Hence, and upon this 
divine principle, christian children see the infinite 
ground of obligation they lie under to love and honor, 
obey and reverence, succour and sustain, their beloved 
parents ; especially, when they are grown old and in- 
firm, and want all the returns of their filial duty and 
regard. 

The holy Apostle, therefore, presses home this 
bounden duty and reasonable service, upon christian 
children, with great force and energy, in his epistles 
to the Ephesians and Colossians. To give greater weight 
to his apostolic advice, he urges the duty by sundry so- 
lemn motives. The general duty recommended is, 
obedience. This word comprehends, as it were, the 
whole duty and universal obligation children owe to 
their parents. " Children," says he, " obey your pa- 
rents." Here is also the measure, extent , and universa- 
lity of the duty " in all things :" (Colos. 3. 20.) Also 
the motives and arguments, by which the duty is enforc- 
ed. First, " that it is right" as a duty enjoined and 
commanded by their Maker : u honor thy father and mo- 
ther ; which is the first commandment with promise" 
(Ep. 6. 1.2.) Secondly, that it meets with the appro- 
bation and good pleasure of God himself: "for this is 
well pleasing unto the Lord." (Colos. 3. 20.) Thirdly, 
it is the only and best way to enjoy comfort, peace, 
happiness, and prosperity, while on earth ; as well as to 
obtain the promise of their days being prolonged : 
" that it may be well with thee, and thou may est live long 
on the earth:'' Ep. 6. 3.) 

Behold then, christian children, as in a perfect mirror, 
your holy and constant line of duty and universal obe- 
dience to your parents ; to whom, under God, vou owe 

N 



98 

your all, even your very existence! Can yoti make 
them any adequate return for all their love, their toil, 
anxiety, and faithful constant care ? I answer, No. 
All your best returns of filial duty, gratitude, and love, 
fall vastly short of what you owe them for their tender 
care of you, when you could not take care of yourself; 
as well as for all their care, kindness, and provision 
made for you, through all the stages of your present 
life. 

What then shall we think of those christian children, 
so called, who shew no reverence, love, or affection to 
their parents, and pay them neither respect or obedi- 
ence ? Nay, rather, what shall we think of those chil- 
dren, who treat their parents with the greatest disrespect 
and neglect, if not contempt ; and by their undutiful, 
and cruel, or wicked conduct, bring down their grey 
hairs with anguish and sorrow to the grave ? Sorry I 
am to add, that if we are to form a judgment of some 
children from their general behaviour to their most 
indulgent and best of parents, we must conclude, that 
they are trying, by every way in their power, to bring 
them to their end, from the sordid, ungenerous, and ig- 
noble motive of possessing what they have. Such chil- 
dren I consider as acting towards their parents more 
like monsters or savages than like men and christians, 
and as falling infinitely below the virtue of a heathen. 

To a serious, reflecting, and well informed mind 
there certainly is nothing so warmly recommends the 
youth of either sex as a modest, diffident, and unassum- 
ing behaviour, especially in the presence of their pa- 
rents, the aged, or their superiors. Such a conduct 
endears them to all that have the happiness of their 
acquaintance, and makes them to be universally esteem- 
ed and admired : while, on the other hand, a forwards 



99 

4 

loquacious, self-sufficient, and impertinent youth, who 
assumes the first place and consequence in all compa- 
nies, and only loves to hear his own impertinence, 
always gives universal disgust. Permit me, therefore, 
to advise the young christian, whose mind has been well 
formed, and whose principles are pure and uncontami- 
nated, to detest the principles and avoid the society 
and company of such young persons, as they would the 
plague or pestilence, or fly from the face of a serpent. 
Modesty is one of the highest recommendations of real 
and sterling piety ; and humility of deportment in youth 
is sure to secure them the most unqualified approbation 
and universal love and esteem of every age, every 
rank, and every character among men. Let it then be 
the noble ambition of the young christian, whose mind 
has been formed upon strictly religious and evangeli- 
cal principles, to cultivate, on all occasions and in all 
companies, a meek, modest, delicate mode of conduct 
and behaviour ; never assuming the air of conceit or 
self-importance, but feeling it a privilege to sit and hear 
the aged and more experienced converse, that they may 
thereby learn wisdom, and increase in knowledge and 
prudence, by the weight and solidity of their observa- 
tions. In this line of conduct, both parents and chil- 
dren will increase in happiness and comfort, as far as 
this world can promise it, as they both increase in days 
and years. I would have young christians very seriously 
consider, that, if their pious parents saw and felt it their 
duty in their early infancy to devote and dedicate them 
to the Lord, and afterwards " to train them up in his 
nurture and admonition,'''' it noxv becomes their sacred 
duty and solemn obligation, as they are come into life, 
to devote and dedicate themselves, in their own person 
and by their own free and voluntary consent and act, unto 
the Lord, and his honor, service and glory. Thisisbut 
acting agreeable to and consistent with their baptismal 



100 

vow, and the promise made for them, and in their 
names, b}^ their sponsors, at the sacred font. Nor is 
this all ; for, if they desire to become christians in deed, 
as well as in name, it is their incumbent duty and privi- 
lege to go to the Lord's table, and seal themselves to be 
his for ever in his own most precious blood. Nor is it 
enough, or fulfilling all the duty required of them, to do 
this once ; but they are commanded by Christ to do it 
constantly and regularly, as long as they are in the 
church militant " Do this" says he, " in remembrance 
of me" This conduct will be one of the best proofs of 
your love to Christ, as well as a noble test oiyour sworn 
allegiance to him. Thus gloriousl} 7 enlisted under the 
banner of his cross, you will feel it your honor to main- 
tain and defend his cause against all opposition from 
every quarter and every character, until your work is 
done on earth, and your blessed Lord crowns you with 
the full reward of a blessed and glorious immortality. 

Nor is the serious christian inattentive to or unmind- 
ful of that regard he is taught j in his Bible, to shew to 
the best interest, and present comfort, as well as ever- 
lasting happiness of his servants or domestics. On all 
occasions he desires " to give unto his servants that 
which isjust and equal ; knowing that he also has a Mas- 
ter in heaven," and " neither is there respect of persons 
with him" Such are the feelings of the pious master's 
heart, that he ever wishes his servants to obey his lawful 
commands, and serve him with the affection of a child, 
rather than with constraint and the fear of punishment. 
The authority, which God has given him, he desires al- 
ways to exercise with prudence and moderation, and, as 
far as possible, with affection and regard. As a chris- 
tian, he bears much with the most obstinate, undutiful, 
and refractory — so abhorrent are the tender feelings of 
his heart to punishment, that even in cases of the most 



101 

painful nature, which demand and call for just and ex- 
emplary correction, punishment is his strange work. As 
he wishes to be served from motives of love in every 
case, correction is his last and dreaded alternative. He; 
nevertheless, knows, both from the laws of God and 
man, he has a right to expect the faithful, constant, and 
willing obedience of all his servants or dependants, and 
that they are bound by every tie and obligation to dis- 
charge their duty and cheerfully execute all his orders 
and commands, on pain of the displeasure of God, as well 
as that of their earthly masters i nor can those servants, 
of any class or colour, have the smallest pretence to the 
name, title, or character of a christian, whether baptized 
or unbaptized, who either neglect, despise, or deny, such 
obligation due to their masters, or refuse to obey them 
faithfully in all things. 

But the christian looks further than to the mere out- 
ward situation of his domestics. He is conscious that 
they are rational and immortal creatures ; that they, 
like himself, are compound beings, possessed of a body 
soon to return to its primaval dust, and of a precious im- 
material part, called the soul, destined to exist, either in 
happiness or misery, through eternal ages. Therefore, 
he desires to have him instructed in the right know- 
ledge of God. Hence the christian master finds he owes 
a duty to his servants' soul as well as body ; because he 
is fully assured, if he feeds and takes care of his body 
only, he does no more for his servant than he does for 
his beast, and perhaps shews more tenderness and love 
to the beast than the man. He loves his Saviour with 
so devout an ardor, that he desires to take as many 
as possible along with him to heaven ; more espe- 
cially those of his own household. For this end he is 
happy to have them instructed, as far as lies in his power, 
and delights to encourage the smallest appearance of 



102 

♦rood in them, and cherish the weakest beginnings of 
grace in their hearts. He makes a point of summoning 
them all regularly to attend the religious exercises of 
his family, morning and ev T ening, unless unavoidably 
engaged otherwise, so as to render their attendance im- 
possible. He feels it his duty also to command their 
attendance upon the public worship of God in his holy 
Temple ; hoping, by this means they may become fullv 
instructed in the knowledge of their duty, both to God 
and man. And, when he sees his servants sensible of 
such privileges, and that they manifest a desire faith- 
fully to improve them for their soul's advantage, his 
attachment is more like that of a friend than a master. 
He knows, it is the Lord alone that maketh men to be of 
one mind in an house ; if, therefore, his servants are of 
one mind with him in the grand business of eternity, it 
is matter of great thankfulness to his heart before the 
Lord. Every service he receives from his domestics, as 
christian servants, he receives with increased satisfac- 
tion ; and the pleasing thought of meeting any of them 
in heaven, to serve God day and night without ceasing, 
endears them to his heart like his children. 

But, before I dismiss this branch of the true christian's 
character, I must, by no means, pass over, or only 
slightly touch, the nature and solemn obligationoi duty, 
which all those who profess and cali themselves christian 
servants owe to their masters and superiors. The scrip- 
tures of the New Testament are abundantly full, clear, 
and explicit upon this head: so that wo professing or 
christian servant can possibly plead ignorance in this 
particular. The line and rules of duty are laid down 
with such simplicity and plainness, that it is impossible 
to mistake the meaning of the sacred writers. That 
christian servant, therefore, who attempts to plead igno- 
rance, as a reason for either the neglect of that duty he 



10 



Q 



or she are bound constantly to give to their masters 
after the flesh, or for their unfaithful discharge of it, 
will certainly be found without excuse at the last. The 
obligation, indeed, in many respects, becomes so reci- 
procal to both, that, while the master is directed to give 
his servants that which is just and equal, the servant is 
commanded to serve his master with a single eye, as 
unto Christ his Master in heaven. This is the solemn 
language of God's word to all and every christian ser- 
vant, " servants, be obedient to them, that are your 
masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling," 
lest you should disoblige or merit their just displeasure 
for disobedience, " in singleness of your heart, as unt» 
Christ ; not with eye-service as mawpleasers ;" never do- 
ingyour duty diligently or f aithfully, but when youx mas- 
ter's or mistress's eye is upon you ; but, " as the servants 
of Christ ,- doing the will of God from the heart, with 
good will doing service ;" that is, in the most cheerful 
and willing manner, and not by constraint or from the 
fear of deserved censure or just punishment, as to the 
Lord and not to men: knowing that whatsoever good 
thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the 
Lord, whether he be bond or free, whether he be a slave 
or servant or a free man, (Ep. 6. 5, 6, 7, 8.) What no- 
ble and gracious encouragement does the Lord here 
give to servants, in all things to be obedient and faith- 
ful ? To the same purpose are the servants at Colosse ad- 
dressed and exhorted, and very much in the same lan- 
guage. " Servants, obey in all things your masters ac- 
cording to the flesh ; not with eye-service, as men-pleas- 
ers ; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: and 
whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, having 
an eye to the Lord's glory in all your services, and not 
unto men ; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive 
the reward of the inheritance : for ye serve the Lord 
Christ, in faithfully doing your duty to your mas^ 



104 

ters. But, on the other hand, he that doth wrong, 
every servant that acteth unjustly, unfaithfullxj , sloth- 
fully, or dishonestly towards his or her master, shall re- 
ceive for the wrong, which he or she hath done, a just 
recompence from a righteous and holy God ; for there is 
no respect of persons with him." (Colos. 3. 22, 23, 24, 
25 . ) And , to give still greater weight and solemnity to the 
nature of the advice and directions given to christian 
servants, the Apostle, with all his apostolic authority, 
commands and enjoinshis sons in the faith, Timothy and. 
Titus to teach the same doctrine. 

But, first of all, I would here observe by the way ,that, 
when the holy Apostle wrote his epistles to the newly 
planted churches, and gave those most marked and so- 
lemn instructions, injunctions, and commands, to his 
beloved sons in the faith, Timothy and Titus, the Ro- 
man Empire considered herself as the mistress of the 
world. At that period, in that vast Empire, slavery 
appears to have been very general amongst all ranks of 
citizens, not only in the imperial city Rome itself, but 
also in most, if not in every part, of her extensive domi- 
nions. Hence, after the ever blessed gospel of Christ 
made its glorious way, not only into the imperial city, 
but also into many of the most distinguished and popu- 
lous cities of the Roman Empire, and infinite multi- 
tudes, both of Jews and Gentiles, were brought over to 
the profession and faith of Christ, and illustrious 
churches formed, the Apostle, in the most distinct, 
accurate, and unequivocal language, and under the im- 
mediate influence of the divine Spirit, was led to point 
out to christian or converted slaves or servants, what was 
their holy and conscientious line of duty to their several 
masters, in whose employ they lived ; whether, I will 
say, hired or bought with money. And what is very re- 
markable and has often struck my mind, that I do not 



105 

find any where in the Apostles' writings a single bint 
dropued against the lawful use of slaves, even among 
christians ; nor by any other of the Apostles, or even 
Chri&t himself. But I do find him saying, if - art thou 
called, that is, to the knowledge of Christ, being a ser- 
vant or slave ? care not for it : but if thou mayest be made 
free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, 
bein<y a slave, is the Lord's freeman. The case of Phi- 
lemon and his slave Onesimus is just in point. He had 
robbed indeed, and run away from his master ; became 
a fellow prisoner with the Apostle, and was converted 
to Christ in his bonds. But does the Apostle tell him 
he is now free from his bonds, as a slave? No such, 
thing. He is rather happy to send him back to his mas- 
ter, as his slave reformed and converted, and entreats 
Philemon to receive him as a christian brother, as well 
as his slave. 

And, lest any servants or slaves should plead igno- 
rance, as to the character of the master the apostle 
means, or pretend that they were only to obey those 
masters who were true believers in Christ, in his Apos- 
tolic advice and instructions to Timothy he speaks in 
the most plain and particular manner, and gives his 
pointed and solemn reasons for so doing. " Let," says 
he, " as many as are under the yoke, that is, slaves > 
count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the 
name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed by the 
unbelievers. And they that have believing masters, let 
them not despise them, because they are brethren; as if 
by their profession of the gospel the distinction of mas- 
ter and servant ceased, or as if Christianity placed each 
of them upon an equal footing as to their situations in 
this world ; but "rather," he adds, " do them service, be- 
cause they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the bene- 
fit namely, the knowledge and grace of God." "These 
O 



106 

things Timothy is commanded to teach and exhort" 
(l Tim. 6. 1,2.) To the same purpose, after the same 
manner, and very much in the same language, he ad- 
dresses Titus, (chap. 2. 9.) " exhort servants to be obe- 
dient unto their own masters, and to please them well, 
in all things ; not answering again. I wish all christian 
servants specially to mark, and piously to attend unto 
this word, u not answering again," not insolently, im- 
pertinently, or in a very indecent manner, cavilling with 
the directions and orders, or refusing to obey the 
just and reasonable commands of their masters. lam 
the more particular upon this part of the christian 
servant's behaviour, because of all their general faults, 
from the constant observation of more than forty years, 
I know of no part of their conduct in which they are 
more frequently culpable than in this most common 
offence. And it too often happens, that, where they have 
the most kind, tender, and indulgent masters, they are 
more inclined to abuse their master's lenity and for- 
bearance, and transgress this apostolic injunction and 
command. The apostle finally adds, " not purloining ," 
not wasting, destroying, pilfering, or stealing their 
master's goods, not even the smallest part of Jiis pro- 
perty, knowing the eye of their Master, who is in hea- 
ven, every moment is upon them ; " but shelving all £ood 
fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Sa- 
viour in all things" as the true and faithful servants of 
the Lord Jesus Christ. How great would be the happi- 
ness, satisfaction, and comfort of pious and christian 
families, who live in the fear of God, if their servants, 
who are called christian, would constantly attend unto, 
learn, and daily study and observe, these holy com- 
mands, precepts and injunctions of God's word, and 
learn cheerfully to obey the solemn directions of his 
blessed Apostles and servants ! Happy servants indeed, 
who live in the service of such masters, who are, above 



107 

all other things, anxious to make their servants chris- 
tians, and take them along with them to heaven : and, 
O happy, thrice happy masters and families, who are 
blessed with such pious, christian, and faithful servants, 
that see it their dearest privilege and felicity, to live 
with pr belong to such truly christian masters; that 
each in their place and appointed station, may go on, 
as it were, hand in hand to heaven. 

I shall now claim the serious reader's attention to sur- 
vey and contemplate the true and pious christian's cha- 
racter, in a more general point of view, as he stands in 
the world as a respectable member of civil society. 
Here, as in all other relations, he endeavors, on all oc- 
casions and in every varied situation, to be and act 
consistent with himself, as the man of God ; who is con- 
scious that the eyes of the Lord are every where upon 
him. 

In his common concerns in life, in whatever occupation 
or line of business divine providence places him, whe- 
ther as tradesman or a merchant, he lays his plans and 
pursues all his schemes of a worldly nature, whether 
for his own advantage and emolument and that of his 
family, for the good of others or that of the public, in 
the fear of God and with an eye to his glory among 
men. He wishes always to have the maxim and advice 
of the Apostle before him, " that whatsoever he does, 
even in the most simple and common actions of his life, 
to do all to the glory of God." In all his transactions, be- 
tween man and man, he is scrupulously exact, upright, 
honorable and sincere. He dares not, from any sordid or 
ignoble ends,take an advantage either of the ignorance or 
inexperience of the friend or neighbor, with whom he 
deals. The golden rule of his Lord upon all occasions is 
nicely observed by him, " That whatsoever he wishes 



108 

another to do unto him, upon a change of circumstances 
or situations, the same he will do unto him, knowing it, 
on the authority of Christ, to be both the law and the pro- 
phets." Uprightness marks all his dealings — sincerity, 
integrity, and honor, all his steps As a man of busi- 
ness, his life is an active scene. Religion teaches him 
that he was never sent by his God, into this world, to 
be idle, to look around him, or to dissipate either his 
time or talents ; but, as a probationer, here to improve 
them all to the best purposes of advantage, that he 
may give a good account of his stewardship at the last. 
Grace has taught him to unite fervent piety with the 
utmost diligence, in every lawful and worldly concern. 
The precept and admonition of St. Paul rest with im- 
pressive power both on his mind and heart, u not sloth- 
ful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." 
The claims of religion and heart-felt piety demand his 
first attention ; the business of the world, and the good 
of his family, his second concern. He is taught of God 
to live for both worlds ; but, first of all, he studiously 
seeks the kingdom of God and his righteousness, rest- 
ing upon the promise of his God, that all other things 
shall be added unto him. He will not indeed neglect 
either his family or worldly calling ; nevertheless, he 
chiefly considers himself as a spiritual merchant, trad- 
ing for eternity, who is above and before all other things 
diligent to seek after Christ, the pearl of great price, 
and, when he has found it, sells all to purchase and to 
make it his own. 

But I will suppose the character I am delineating to 
be called by his fellow-citizens to a place of high res- 
ponsibility, of great trust and importance. If he sees it 
his duty, for the good of his country, or the benefit of 
his constituents, to accept of the appointment, as in all 
other cases, he will undertake the trust in the fear of 



109 

God, and not to gratify either his own pride or vanity. 
The consequence, that is attached to his public station, 
will place him, as a christian, always upon his guard ; 
and influence his conduct, on all occasions, to consult 
the public good rather than any honor or advantage to 
himself or his friends. His correct views of God and 
religion, united with true piety, make him a firm and 
steady patriot ; therefore, to promote the glory and 
happiness of his country will lie near his heart, and the 
hope of being the instrument to promote the interest of 
the one, or advance the felicity and comfort of the other, 
will be the grand spring and motive of all his actions. 
In the whole of his general conduct, knowing himself to 
be accountable to God as well as men, he will be infi- 
nitely more solicitous to obtain the approbation of his 
God, than to court popularity or the momentary ap- 
plause of men. The fear of God will teach him to avoid 
all duplicity, and abhor every appearance of hypocrisy 
and insincerity, in his public character. Truth and 
honor being, as it were, the girdle of his loins, inte- 
grity and manly firmness will influence and direct all his 
steps, to advance the general good. Not in this way do 
crafty and subtle politicians act. Intrigue and cunning, 
duplicity and insincerity, art and hypocrisy, generally 
mark their steps and influence every part, more or less, 
of their public conduct. If indeed we may judge of 
them from appearances, we must conclude, that hypo- 
crisy and insincerity form a principal part of their po- 
litical creed, and that those alone deserve the name and 
character of wise and able politicians, who practise it 
most. In opposition to such characters, the true chris- 
tian politician and public character believes on all occa- 
sions, thut honesty is the best policy , and that his conduct, 
which will bear a close review on all sides, is the only 
character that will stand at last, and be handed down 
with applause and honor to impartial posterity. 



110 

In this view of the pious christian's character I will 
go a step further, and suppose him placed, not only in 
a state of high responsibility, trust, and importance ; 
but also, of an almost unbounded influence and worldly 
emolument. In this highly elevated situation'the grace 
of God, pervading all the noble powers of his soul, will 
induce and constrain him to employ all his power and 
increased authority for the most essential good of the 
State, and the advancement of the Lord's glory. If he 
has places of important trust to fill, both the fear and 
honor of God will prevent him from suffering private 
interest or personal friendship, to take place of the pub- 
lic good or the best interest of the State. He will ra- 
ther use and employ all his wisdom, experience, and 
observation, in the judicious and impartial choice of 
those persons and characters, best qualified for the im- 
portant situation and trust, and such as in his judgment 
are best calculated to give general satisfaction, and pro- 
mote in the highest possible degree the public welfare. 
He dares not, as a christian,sacrifice the most important 
interest and good of the community, either to private 
party or private friendship . Nor will his emoluments of 
office ever be employed to ignoble or dishonorable pur- 
poses ; but he will feel it his privilege, and be thankful 
that by those means he has it in his power to reward, 
merit, and advance the most deserving to places of the 
greatest trust, authority, and power. In a word, in his 
public character he considers that he lives not for him- 
self, but for the general good ; therefore, both his in- 
fluence and emolument are employed for the greatest 
good of the whole. The highest degree of influence 
he possesses is Only valued by him, so far as it gives 
him an opportunity of serving his country, or increas- 
ing the happiness of that community of which he is a 
member. 



Ill 

The christian yet stands in a state of higher rela- 
tion than that of a member of civil society ; I mean 
his relation to and situation in the church of God. In 
this important relation two things, in an especial man- 
ner, engage his attention and constant regard ; that, in 
all things, he may honor the cause of Christ in his own 
person, by a suitable deportment in the church, and that 
he may study by every way and means in his power, as 
far as his influence and authority extend, to promote 
the increasing interest of true religion or vital godli- 
ness in the world. He is, first of all, studious and dili- 
gent,as standing in the closest connection with and rela- 
tion to the church of God, as a living member, to honor 
his place and station there. As he has given up his 
heart to God by a public profession of faith in his name, 
and sealed himself to be the Lord's in his own blood 
at the sacramental table, he knows that many eyes are* 
upon him as accurate, if not critical, observers of every 
part of his moral conduct in the church, as well as in the 
world. This consideration has its proper weight and 
influence upon his mind in all his religious walk, whe- 
ther in the church, or in his more general walk among 
men. The honor of his Lord and the best interest of 
religion lie so near his heart, that he desires to give, by 
his negligent or irregular walk, offence neither to the 
Jew, or the Gentile, or the church of God. And, while 
he would give no just offence to those who are out of 
the church, he wishes to be equally careful not to grieve 
or offend the weakest or poorest member in it. Without 
fear of contradiction, I may venture to affirm of the 
true christian, on this ground, that the whole tenor of 
his life is a standing refutation of that common objec- 
tion of the ignorant and illiber-l, who affirm, that the 
scripture doctrine of justification by faith alone in Christ 
before God is unfriendly to the best interests of morn- 



112 

lity and virtue.* So far from it, he is zealous of good 
works, more zealous than any other character. As a 
living member of the church of Christ, after he has 
done all his duty, he subscribes cheerfully to the decla- 
ration of his Lord and Master, that he is an unprofitable 
servant, because he feels himself to be so ; while the 
proud Pharisee boasts of his goodness, and that he has 
done his duty, saying, " God, I thank thee that I am 
not as other men arc." Nevertheless, he is as strenuous 
for good works, as if they possessed some inherent merit, 
and he himself was to be saved by them. Such love to 
Christ warms his heart and fires his bosom, as the glo- 
rious effects and fruit of a justifying faith, that his faith 
works by love, and irresistibly constrains him so to live 
for God and to his glory, that he ever desires the end of 
one good work, or work of faith and labor of love, may 
be the beginning of another. His whole life is a life of 
unblemished holiness and sincere devotedness to the 
service and honor of his God. He above all things 
wishes to answer to the character given of him by his 
Lord, ' ' to be as the salt of the earth ;" that, by his holy 
conduct and savory conversation, he may be the happy 
means, under God, of seasoning with the salt of grace 
all around him, and especially, by his holy example, 
to provoke his brethren in Christ to love and to good 
works. It is in this way, and after this manner, as a 
devoted christian, that in his own person, while in the 
church militant on earth, he magnifies the grace of his 
Saviour, and " glorifies his Father who is in heaven." 

But this, by no means, satisfies the vast and capaci- 
ous powers of his renewed soul. The holy cause, and 
increasing interest of Christ in the world, engages 
his first attention, next to the concern of his own 



• Vide, Art. 14th, 



113 

Soul, and cnallenges his warmest regard. He not only 
obeys the sacred injunction of his Lord, each day to 
pray, " Thv kingdom come :" but whatever influence, 
authority or respect, God gives him, either in the world 
or in the church, he wishes and desires to employ and 
improve it all, to promote the cause of religion, the in- 
terest of Christ, and the advancement of the Lord's 
glory, in the salvation of his fellow-men. 

To this great end, with his whole heart and utmost 
affection, he lends all his support, to aid and assist his 
own, and the ministers of Christ in general, in the great 
and arduous work, in which they are engaged, in woo- 
ing and winning souls to Christ, and building up their 
dear people in their most holy faith. On many painful 
occasions he feels for the discouragements and frequent 
oppositions the Lord's servants meet with from the world 
at large, and too often from the very people amongst 
whom they faithfully and constantly labor. This try- 
ing situation of the Lord's minister calls forth all his 
pity, love, and tenderness; and, on some most painful 
occasions, his tears of sympathy, anguish, and sorrow. 
It wounds the best feelings of his heart, to see the de- 
voted, true, and faithful minister of his God, treated ill, 
slighted, or mortified, by his own people ; to receive 
hatred or ill will for all his love ; and only opposition, 
persecution, or bitter invective, for all the tender effu- 
sions of his heart, and the labors of his life for their 
present and everlasting good. 

Whenever the pious christian sees the faithful ser- 
vants of God thus treated by the irreligious, the illi- 
beral, or the insincere ; it calls forth all the tenderest 
sympathies of his heart. He not only feels deeply for 
the injuries done to the minister of Jesus ; but he is 
sensibly wounded on account of the suffering cause of 
P 



114 

Christ, and the triumphs of the infidels by these means. 
He knows by nice observation, and long experience, 
that if the grand enemy of religion and of all good can 
by any artifice, whether true or false, stir up hatred and 
opposition against the servants of God in the church, 
that hereby their ministry is greatly impeded, if not 
entirely destroyed. This is what the arch find aims at ; 
and if he can, by any means whatever, it matters not how 
dark or diabolical, bring over men of power, parts, or 
influence, to his interest, he gains his point, in destroy- 
ing the usefulness of the men of God. The christian 
beholds all this with pain and anguish of heart, knowing 
that the whole of this opposition generally falls upon 
religion and that bleeding cause of Christ, which he 
seeks and labors, by every way in his power, greatly to 
promote and advance. Hence, the love of Christ con- 
strains him to employ his time and talents, in the sup- 
port of God's truth, and in the steady and manly de- 
fence of all those true and faithful ambassadors of 
Christ, who are traduced, maligned, and " killed all the 
day long, 1 '' for no other reason, but because they dare, 
on all occasions, faithfully to declare it in the face of 
the whole world. Where the christian's zealous con- 
duct, in the defence of God's truth and the dispensers 
of it, is crowned with success, it greatly rejoices his 
heart, to see the designs of the enemy frustrated and 
confounded, and the cause of Christ and the wounded 
reputation of his ministers finally triumph over all its 
and their opposers. 

Thus the real christian's light shines in the church 
as well as out of it, and, like the true salt of the earth, 
he spreads a goodly seasoning and spiritual savor 
wheresoever he comes. For his God doth instruct him 
to discretion. His noblest ambition is to see religion 
and the cause of Christ flourish and increase on the 



115 

earth ; and, by whatever lawful and scriptural means the 
great end is accomplished, his heart does rejoice ; yea, 
and will rejoice. 

I shall take notice of another leading feature and 
striking lineament of the truly pious christian's charac- 
ter, and that is his liberality and charity. Grace, the 
true grace of God in his heart, hath made him liberally 
minded ; and he knows and happily feels, that the libe- 
ral man desireth liberal things. 

He is influenced greatly by the words of his Lord, and 
the holy maxim of the Apostle St. Paul : " The 'poor ye 
have always with you ;" therefore^ " to do good and com- 
municate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well 
pleased ;" and " it is more blessed to give than to receive" 
The £ruth is, he considers himself only as the steward of 
God, in respect of what he possesses of this world's 
goods. Or rather, to speak more accurately, he pos- 
sesses nothing of his own* As he himself is wholly the 
Lord's* in like manner, he acknowledges, that all he has 
and is, of right is the Lord's sole property and posses^ 
sion, and he has a sovereign right to dispose both of 
him and that according to his good pleasure. Hence, 
whatever the Lord bestows upon him, he considers it as 
only lent him of his God, for a short season, with this 
injunction, " occupy 'till I come" This makes him 
careful of waste, or forbidden luxury or extravagance, 
lest, when his Lord comes, he should be accused for 
having wasted his master's goods. He feels it indeed 
his bounden duty, to take all proper care of and make 
all necessary provision/br the family the Lord has given 
him ; because the Apostle affirms, " he that provideth 
not for his own, especially those of his own house, hath 
denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." Next 
to his own family, he considers all that are in distress,, 



116 

want, or poverty, as having a just claim upon him, ac- 
cording to the ability God hath given him, not in- 
deed to be ostentatiously liberal, atother men's expence, 
so as to make a shew of being over generous while he 
forgets to be just. This is not what either Christ or his 
Apostle enjoin as charity and liberality. 

Though I am fully aware, there have been too many, 
in every age and perhaps country, who have fallen into 
this fatal mistake, in order to be admired and applaud- 
ed in the world, and to obtain a name in the church as 
persons of extraordinary liberality. This is what Christ 
calls, fi< giviyig alms to be seen of men" Such have 
their reward, and a poor reward it is. But the true 
christian, in all his offerings and works of benevolence 
and charity, carefully avoids all appearance of pride 
and ostentation, and, according to the maxim of his 
Lord, desires that " his left hand may not know what 
his right hand doeth." As the holy follower of his Mas- 
ter, he desires to be continually doing good in that 
sphere of life, according to the utmost of his ability and 
opportunity offered, in which his Lord hath placed him. 

But his views of liberality and benevolence are prin- 
cipally of a twofold nature. His first views of charity 
are altogether of a spiritual nature. If the Lord has 
given him gracious ability and affords him frequent op- 
portunity, he feels it both his privilege and duty, to de- 
vote a proper and ample share of his abundance, in pro- 
moting the cause of Christ, and the spread of his 
glorious gospel among men. Many and various are his 
calls for this kind and important service in the world. 
Sometimes for the building or repairing churches for 
Christ ; at others, for the support and comfort of the 
servants and poor ministers of his God ; at a third, for 
the propagation or spread of the all-glorious gospel in 



117 

dark and benighted corners of the land, where igno- 
rance and gross darkness reign, or for the spread of the 
gospel among the heathen tribes. But, on all occasions 
and for every good purpose, his heart, his counsel, and 
his purse are ready. And, when it pleases the great 
Head of the church to smile upon his humble attempts, 
and the combined efforts of his christian brethren, it 
affords matter of admiring thankfulness and joy to his 
heart before God. The most extraordinary character 
for unbounded liberality, in this particular, that I have 
known, was the late John Thornton, Esq. of Clapham. 
I had the singular honor of being well acquainted with 
him for many years, and was amongst the number of 
his almoners. This gave me frequent opportunities of 
beholding his wonderful acts of bounty and beneficence 
with admiration and astonishment. The clergyman, 
who preached his funeral sermon in his Parish church, 
stated, from authentic documents, that for very many 
years he had devoted four thousand pounds sterling 
annually ', in the wide range of his extensive charities, 
upon an average ; and that in some single years he 
had given the extraordinary sum of five thousand 
pounds, for pious and charitable purposes ! Though we 
must not expect many Thorntons in any age or coun- 
try, the truly pious christian is actuated by the same 
divine principle, and delights, according to the ability 
God has given him, to do all in his power to promote 
the spread of the gospel at large, and, more especially, 
ill the dark, destitute, and benighted corners around 
him, and which more immediately claim his attention 
and regard. 

The christian's secondary view of charity has for its 
object the common and outward distresses of mankind. 
The poor meet his eye, almost in every direction. Their 
distresses are many and various ; sometimes in their 



118 

own persons, at others, in their worldly affairs, through 
misfortune, or in the situation of their poor and afflicted 
families. By such varied scenes of human misery and 
woe his feeling heart is deeply affected, and he often 
wishes his ability was equal to his compassion and sym- 
pathy. It is to him a privilege to meet with such op- 
portunities of doing good to the unfortunate and de- 
serving poor. He often makes their sorrows and wants, 
by pity and sympathy, his own. He enters into the 
general detail of their sufferings, and delights to try., in 
ever} r possible way, either to lighten or remove them. 
And for this glorious reason, that the grace of his Lord 
teaches him never to forget " to do good and to commu- 
nicate." His love to Christ, and compassion for the 
poor, will not suffer him to pass by an object of real 
distress, if he truly believes him to be so. Nay, such is 
the tender pity of his heart, that he would rather err, in 
some doubtful cases, in giving charity, lest by any mo- 
tives of prudence he overlook or pass by one real ob- 
ject of poverty and sorrow. It was upon this divine 
and godlike principle that the excellent and immortal 
Sir Matthew Hale, one of the greatest Judges and 
brightest luminaries that ever adorned the English 
bench, acted. This great man, in his day, was no less 
celebrated for his singular piety and virtue, than he was 
universally esteemed and admired asa Judge. In a book, 
styled his table talk y it is recorded of him, that such 
were his generous views of benevolence and universal 
charity, that he never suffered a common beggar to be 
turned away from his door without an alms. The rea- 
son he gave for so doing was as simple and pure as it 
was pious : " because," said he, " if I turned any away 
for fear of bestowing charity upon znunwor thy object, I 
might by chance, through mistake, turn away a true 
disciple of Christ, and refuse him that relief his case 
required." He said, as I remember, " he would rather 



119 

give ninety-nine wrong, than deny the deserving hun- 
dredth that succour he stood in need of." You see his 
holy maxim was, if he erred, always to err on the right 
side. As the christian knows it is more blessed to give 
than to receive, and that even a " cup of cold water" 
given to a disciple of Christ, in his name andybr his 
sake, shall not go without a reward ; he desires, in that 
line of providence in which he is placed, ever to be do- 
ing good, that in this way of appointed duty, as well as 
in every other, he may honor the religion of Christ, and 
glorify his Father who is in heaven. 

Under this second view of the true christian's cha- 
racter, I shall mention but one instance more, in which 
the power of vital godliness appears in his conduct, and 
shines with pleasing lustre in his whole life : I mean the 
way in which he conducts himself in all his recreations 
and innocent amusements. In this particular part of his 
conduct, as a christian, his moderation is known unto all 
men. For his health as well as amusement, he conceives 
it necessary for him occasionally to relax from exces- 
sive attention either to studies or secular concerns; but 
he is studiously careful in the choice of his modes of re- 
laxation, and in his various ways of recreation. His 
amusements will be of a manly nature, and such as have 
no vice attached to them. He knows indeed, the mind 
at times must be unbent ; but then he wishes so to em- 
ploy his hours of relaxation, that by that means he 
may be able the better to return to the more immediate 
duties of his calling or profession. There are some 
kinds of recreation, in which the christian engages, that 
tend greatly to enlarge his mind and increase his know- 
ledge of the world, men, and things ; such as history 9 
music, and painting. And, when he has leisure and op- 
portunity, perhaps, there is no kind of recreation or plea- 
sure better calculated to expand his mind, and increase 



120 

bis stock of just ideas, both of men and things, than 
travelling. By this mode of exercise and amusement, 
he obtains a greater knowledge of the world at large, 
and has an opportunity of making his observations 
and reflections upon mankind in general, both with 
soundness and accuracy of judgment. In the friendly 
and social circle of intelligent and well informed men, 
he finds a never-failing source of amusement, informa- 
tion, and improvement. 

But I may safely affirm, the christian abhors every spe- 
cies of low, ignoble, vulgar, or degrading amusement ; 
which tends only to lower the man and debase the chris- 
tian, by whomsoever practised ; nor will he give them 
his sanction, either by his presence or example. And, 
above all, he will shun and fly from, that worst of all 
species of amusement, both in its nature and conse- 
quences, if it may deserve that name, the gaining table. 
Instead of viewing this in the light of an amusement or 
recreation, he considers it as a kind of bondage and sla- 
very, tending only to unmake and unman the gentleman 
as well as the christian, and as it is too frequently at- 
tended with a long catalogue and dark train of evils in 
its rear. This way of pleasure, or 'rather folly and 
madness, he leaves to the unthinking and dissipated cha- 
racter : the man ,who, instead of rational amusement, 
squanders away his precious time in this low and un- 
manly vice, and often in the issue throws himself into 
the horrors of misery and despair, for having by his own 
frenzy of folly reduced himself to disgrace and beg- 
gary, and entailed poverty, want, and wretchedness 
upon his whole posterity. With such characters, the 
christian says, O my soul, come not thou into their se- 
cret — mine honor, be not with them united. He enjoys 
his religious and innocent recreations, as a believer in 
Christ, and a true christian ; but, with equal care and 



121 

assiduity, he avoids every thing that hath the appear- 
ance of evil, infidelity, or immorality of conduct, be- 
cause his Bible teaches him, " to abstain from the gar- 
ments spotted with the flesh." It is thus, my christian rea- 
der, that the true and sincere disciple of Christ attends 
to, carefully and diligently fulfils all the essential and 
most important duties of the second table. In all the 
great branches of the christian character, in all those 
strong and endearing relations, in which divine provi; 
dence hath placed him, in this probationary state of 
things, whether as a real christian, the head of a family ^ 
an husband, a father, a child, a master, or a servant, a 
member of civil society, or the great world at large, or 
a member of the church of the living God ; he feels it 
his sacred and bounden duty to fulfil the whole, for the 
honor of his God, the praise and glory of his dear Savi- 
our,and the high approbation of his conscience, both in 
the sight of God and man. 

Say now, my christian readers, how do your hearts 
stand affected towards Christ, in the general review of 
the duties of the second table ? Are you conscienti- 
ously and faithfully filling up all those natural, morale 
civil, and spiritual relations, in which you stand to your 
families, to the world, the State and government under 
which you live, and to the church of God ? Do you, in 
all these various and varied branches of your duty, as 
christians, strive to honor and glorify the name of your 
God ? Does his interest lie near your heart ? And do you 
Jabor to promote it among men, by every way and 
means in your power ? Does the love of Christ con- 
strain you to every work of love and to devote yourself 
wholly to his glory ? 

I shall now claim the reader's serious attention while 
I proceed to a brief delineation of the true christian's 



122 

character, in the third and last view of it, as it respects 
the glorious end of his faith under all his trials, crosses, 
and sufferings in the complete salvation and happiness 
of his immortal soul. 

You have taken a survey of his holy, Consistent, and 
devoted life, a life all of a piece, in the preceding pa- 
ges ; it becomes, therefore, quite natural to expect that 
the end of such a life, so devoted and dedicated to the 
honor, service, and glory of God, should be illustrious 
and full of glory at the last. 

Come then and review the consummation of the chris- 
tian's triumphant faith , or his finishing his holy, christian 
course with joy, that he may enter into the everlasting 
glory of his exalted Lord. In order to do justice to 
this part of the pious christian's character, it is neces- 
sary that I should direct your views to the contempla- 
tion of him, in this probationary state, as a suffering 
christian, preparatory to his final triumph. Besides the 
general view of his character, the scripture teaches us 
to consider his whole life as a warfare, a contest, and a 
sharp Conflict. St. Paul informs us, that he is called 
" to wrestle not with flesh and blood only, but with prin- 
cipalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness 
of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high pla- 
ces. He is, therefore, commanded to take unto him- 
self the whole armour of God, that he may be able to 
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 
He must, above all, take the shield of faith, wherewith 
he shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the 
wicked, with the helmet of salvation, and the sword of 
the Spirit, which is the word of God ; praying always 
with all prayer and supplication mthe Spirit, and watch- 
ing thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for 
all saints. " This strong and beautiful martial language 



123 

sufficiently and distinct!} 7 marks the present state and 
life of the christian, as a warfare or combat. Through 
the glass of God's word he views the number, strength, 
subtilty, craft, and cunning of his combined foes. The 
appearance of these hosts of vigilant enemies, ever 
ready to takean advantage, if he is off his guard, attend- 
ed with a deep and increasing sense of his own weak- 
ness ; often makes him tremble, lest he should, like Da- 
vid, one day fall. But the cardinal grace of faith under 
these conflicts, eyeing Christ as the Captain of his saha~ 
lion, enables him to take courage and renew the combat. 
Through the divine prowess of his glorious, invincible^ 
and infallible Leader, out of weakness he is made strong, 
waxes valiant in fight, and turns to flight the armies of 
the aliens, his enemies. 

I wish the serious atid attentive reader to survey the 
christian combatant in a more general point of view, as 
it respects his situation in life,under all the varied trials 
and sufferings, which, at different periods, he is called 
to endure. Each scene of sorrow and of woe, whether 
he suffers in his own person, in his family, his affairs,* 
his reputation in the world, as a christian, or for the 
sake of Christ and his cause ; calls forth the active exer- 
cise of every grace, especially his faith and patience. 
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, It is the ordi- 
nation and gracious appointment of Christ, that it should 
be so. " In the world" says he, " ye shall have tribu- 
lation." The present state of the christian renders 
these tribulations or sufferings indispensably necessary 
for his own good. He is too apt to be fond of life, at- 
tached to the world, the creature, or some sublunary 
object. It not unfrequently happens that his first and 
best affections are riveted to the things of time and 
sense, or some earthly object or thing. Hence the 
Lord, in tender love> sends a cross, a trial; a loss ; or an 



124 

awful and solemn bereavement, in order to damp hrs 
ardor after this world, to wean his affections from the 
creature, to crucify his desires after the flesh, and teach 
him to set loose to and light by all terrestrial things 
T\or is this all the end the Lord means to answer by the 
trials and sufferings of the christian. 

He sees too much of the dross and tin of corruption 
and sin, too many unsubdued appetites and passions, 
and too many evil habits and unmortified or unbridled 
tempers, in the best. Therefore, as the goldsmith puts 
his gold into the furnace, to purge it from its dross and 
every base alloy ; so the Lord puts the christian into 
the hot and fiery furnace of affliction, as he did Job, 
the three children, and a cloud of other witnesses, in 
order to purge him from all the dross of sin and the de- 
filements of impurity, and teach him not only to depart 
from all sin, but even to hate and abhor the "garment* 
spotted with the flesh" 

A further end the Lord designs to accomplish by the 
afflictions and sufferings of the christian is, to humble 
him in the dust at his feet, to prove the truth and since- 
rity of grace in his soul, and to know what was in his 
heart ; not for the Lord to know it, for he knows what 
is in the heart of man, and needs not that any should 
testify unto him what is in man ; but to make him 
know, feel, and mourn over the plague of his own heart, 
whether he will serve the Lord in truth and sincerity or 
not. The Lord sees much pride and folly even in his 
own children, and that the christian is too apt to be 
proud of the Lord's gifts, as if they were the creatures 
of his own creation. Hence, he must not only have 
line upon line and precept upon precept ; but cross upon 
cross, and one trial and affliction after another, to sub- 
due bis heart, humble his pride, lay him low in the dust, 



125 

empty hint as from vessel to vessel, and bring him. at 
last right humbly to his God. By this means his hea- 
venly Father teaches him, each day, to know more of the* 
evil and deceitfulness of his own heart, and that none 
can know it aright but bis God. This increasing self- 
knowledge assures him that " he that trusts his own 
Jieart is a fool" and, at the same time, teaches him to 
il put on humility as a garment," and under a deep 
sense of his un worthiness " to walk humbly with Ms 
God." How different, upon this divine principle, are the 
views and feelings of the real christian, compared with 
those of the formalist , and the proud, self-righteous Pha- 
risee ? The Pharisee, strong in a vain and proud opinion 
of himself, and the goodness of bis own heart, says, 
God, I thank thee " that I am, not as other men are" 
that I do my duty, and am better than my neighbors ; 
while the humbled christian, lying in the dust, like holy 
Job, cries out, " Lordy I am vile, what shall I answer 
thee ?" Thus humbled and self-abhorred, the christian 
with wonder and admiration hears his condescending 
Father say, " to this man will I look with smiles of 
complancency and delight, even to him that is poor, of 
a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word." But this 
has been treated more at large in a former part of this 
essay, and is only here again introduced, as one of the 
happy and gracious effects of the deep and afflictive -dis- 
pensations of the God of love, made use of to prepare 
his children for the last triumphs of faith and glory. 
There are many more gracious purposes and divine ends 
the Lord accomplishes by the sufferings and trials of 
the christian. I shall mention a few of them. Pati- 
ence is one of those amiable and pleasing graces, which 
the gospel inculcates strongly upon the christian. For 
the christian often under heavy trials manifests every 
temper and disposition of soul, except the grace of pa- 
tience. At some periods of his afflictions, and under 



126 

some crosses, the scripture compares him to a wild bull 
in a net, all impatience,evento aphrensy; or peevish, like 
Jonah, when his pride seemed to be wounded, because 
the Lord did not immediately execute his predicted 
threatenings upon Nineveh; when, with unhallowed 
lips, he replied to the Lord, "yea, I do ivell to be angry 
even unto death.'''' The Lord remembers our frame and 
knows that we are but dust. It is therefore in com- 
passion that he afflicts the christian, and exercises his 
faith with various trials in order to teach him patience. 
Job was an eminent believer, a man that feared God and 
eschewed evil. Even the Lord said to Satan, there was 
none like him. Yet Job wanted patience. In the day of 
his calamity he spake unadvisedly with his lips, and 
cursed the day of his birth. But when his heavenly 
Father put him into the furnace of affliction, and out of 
one fiery trial into another, sending him stroke upon 
stroke, and breach upon breach ; he there taught him 
patience under the rod of God, and made him at last, 
like David, dumb in his sight. It is in these ways and 
by these means the Lord prepares the christian for his 
last triumph, and makes him meet for the inheritance of 
the saints in light. Thus saith the holy Apostle Paul : 
!" tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; 
and experience, hope ; a well grounded hope of the glory 
of God, a hope that maketh not ashamed ; because the 
love of God is shed abroad in the heart, by the Holy 
Ghost," given to the christian. St. James speaks to the 
same purpose and in the strongest language. " My 
brethren," says he, " count it all joy when ye fall into 
divers temptations, trials, or afflictions, knowing this, 
that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let 
patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect 7 
and enter, wanting nothing" to prepare you for glory. 
Again he says, " behold, we count them happy which 
endure i. e. afflictions. Ye have heard of the patience of 



127 

Job, and have seen the end of the Lord ; that the Lord 
is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." 

The christian very well knows, upon the authority of 
bis Lord, that his every temper must be sanctified, and 
his every grace perfected, before he can enter into the 
presence and full enjoyment of God. And, as the great 
Head of the Church, in his mediatorial character, was 
made perfect through sufferings, he is satisfied, that, un- 
less he follows his blessed Master in the regeneration 
and the sufferings, he can never follow him to the glory. 
Nay more, the Apostle assures him that his right and 
title to the final and complete inheritance is best proved 
to his heart, on the ground of his present sufferings. 
Cf My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, 
nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom 
the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scour get h every son 
whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, Goddeal- 
eth with you as with sons ; for what son is he whom 
the father chasteneth not ? But if ye be without chas- 
tisement, whereof all are partakers, than are ye bastards, 
and not sons" As if the Apostle had said, ye have on 
such a supposition, that ye neither suffer afflictions with 
Christ, or for Christ ; you have no ground of evidence 
that ye are children of God. But on the other hand, 
" if children, then heirs ; heirs of God, and joint heirs 
with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may 
be also glorified together" Then, as if mounted on his 
triumphal car of triumphant faith, just ready to enter 
in holy triumph into the celestial gates of endless bliss, 
he adds — For I, who have counted the cross and all its 
toils, who have made the complete estimate and arrived 
at the total sum of sufferings ; even / reckon, that the 
sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be com- 
pared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. " For 
uur light affliction, which is but for a moment ; worketli 



128 

for us afar more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." 
Upon such incontrovertible evidence and unequivocal 
testimony as above, where is that professsing christian 
to be found, who flatters himself with the fond and de- 
lusive hope of entering into final glory at last, while 
he shuns the present cross,and flies from every suffering 
or reproach for the sake of Christ, so long as he so- 
journs in this vale of tears ? The hope of such christi- 
ans will be found no better than the spiders' web at last. 

Another charming and lovely grace, very nearly al- 
lied to the grace of patience, and which the Lord per- 
fects in the christian by his sufferings and afflictions, 
is an entire submission to the will of God under the 
deepest dispensations of providence and grace, and a 
cheerful acquiescence in the appointment of the Lord 
under all the diversified scenes of affliction and trou- 
ble he is called to endure. This is a lesson often found, 
by the most pious christian, hard and difficult to learn. 
His judgment, indeed, is generally speaking, on the side 
of God, and he acknowledges the wisdom and rectitude 
of all his ways ; but his heart murmurs or rebels, and 
his conduct and experience contradict his judgment al- 
together. Full submission, under every load of sorrow, 
he knows is his bounden duty ; but, alas ! in too many 
instances, his practice strongly opposes his theory, and 
he is almost every thing but what he ought to be, and 
even desires to be, before his God. From what passes, 
therefore, in the conflict of his own bosom, he is con- 
strained to own, though against himself, " that all 
God's works are truth, and his ways judgment ; and 
that, in every deep dispensation, just and true is he." 
l>ut,when trials come unexpected, and afflictions from 
persons or quarters he never suspected, he is, I may say, 
wholly unprepared to meet the stroke. Hence, instead 
of a calm and perfect submission to the appointment o* 



1|9 

God, amidst all the conflicting passions, which arise 
within him, perhaps a kind of sullen silence overwhelms 
his soul, and he is ready to sink into deep and fell de- 
spair. It is possible, lucid intervals may intervene 
through the thick gloom ; but the darkness and shadow 
of death soon again return, and he cries out with the 
good old Patriarch Jacob, " all these things are against 
;me." But, in the midst of these mighty conflicts be- 
tween faith and sense in his soul, he cries with David, 
" why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou 
disquieted within me ? hope thou in God ; for I shall yet 
praise him, who is the help of my countenance and my 
God. 59 In the midst of these opposite and conflicting 
elements, if I may so speak, in his soul ; he is enabled 
to say, " in the multitude of the thoughts which I had. 
in my heart, thy comforts refreshed my soul" " I will, 
therefore, go on in the strength of the Lord God : I will 
make mention of thy righteousness., even of thine only !'* 
Nevertheless, all this is far from that entire submis- 
sion to the will of God, which the Lord requires from 
him, and which he desires, under the uplifted hand of 
God's judgments, to shew. He is however encouraged, 
from the examples of those gone before him, to hope for 
a day of complete deliverance from those unruly pas- 
sions,whichso often harass and perplex his mind, and op- 
pose that acquiescence in the divine will, and that full 
submission of his whole heart to God, under every dis- 
tress or bereavement, which it is his duty to display. 
To aid his own faith and increase his gracious submis- 
sion under his afflictions and sorrows, he finds it highly 
profitable frequently to contemplate the character and 
conduct of those eminent saints and illustrious sufferers, 
as striking instances of submission ; who have gone be- 
fore him in the way of the suffering cross, as bright 
and shining patterns and examples of the most complete 
submission to the will of God., under the greatest mis- 
It 



130 

fortunes and calamities, for him to imitate and follow, 
and highly worthy of his holy imitation. He will call 
to mind the blessed Patriarchs, the holy Prophets, and 
all the noble army of martyrs and confessors, who were 
not only patient under the most exemplary sufferings 
of every species ; but also manifested the most complete 
resignation and submission to the will of God, and even 
gloried in the honor put upon them by their Lord, not 
accepting deliverance. He can witness Abraham, com- 
manded of God to offer up his only and beloved Isaac, 
the son of his old age and the child of the promise ; 
who, not only submitted to the divine will, but cheer- 
fully and instantly obeyed the command of his God, and 
stretched out his hand to slay his son ! What a singular 
instance of complete submission and filial obedience was 
this r Herein the Father of the faithful stands forth as an 
illustrious example of entire submission to the appoint- 
ment of God, worthy the imitation of every suffering 
christian. He can call to mind good old Eli, the priest 
of the Lord, who, when heavy tidings were brought him 
by Samuel from the Lord, and the ark of God was taken , 
and both his sons fallen in battle, with humble submis- 
sion replied, " it is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him 
good." In his distressing hours, unde* the accumulated 
load of sufferings, for his support and encouragement 
he will frequently call to mind the case of holy Job, 
sitting in dust and ashes, under the pressure of his sor- 
rows, deeply indeed lamenting and bewailing his scene 
of unequalled and unmixed sorrows. But, in the isiue 
of his general and universal bereavements, testifying his 
gracious acquiescence in the will of his God, and his com- 
plete submission under every weight and burden of 
affliction laid upon him : when, in the sweet confidence 
of faith, he cried, " the Lord gave, and the Lord hath 
taken away ; blessed be the name of the Lord." Christi- 
ans in general will fojlow Job in the former part of his 



131 

]»ious declaration ; but, alas ! how few, in the heroic tri- 
umph of faith and divine submission to Jehovah's will, 
can cordially join issue with him and say, " blessed be 
the name of the Lord.'' 

Nor will the suffering christian, in his trying sea- 
sons of affliction, forget the case and conduct of Da- 
vid, either when he was David the stripling, suffering 
greatly by the rage, jealousy, and persecution of Saul, 
or when he was afterwards elevated to the throne of 
Judah. He might truly say, while the Lord greatly ho- 
nored him, that he was afflicted from his youth up : at 
one period, from the cruelty of his brethren ; at ano- 
ther, from the death of his child ; and at a third, from 
the rebellion of his son Absalom with the general revolt 
of his subjects. But, in every varied scene of triaj, 
affliction, and of sorrow, he appears upon all occasions 
to have manifested a/rm, steady, and unshaken faith m 
the God of his salvation. Thus he divinely expressed 
his strong confidence in the Lord* " although mine 
house be not so with God ; yet he hath made with me an 
everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure ; — 
this is all my salvation and all my desire." This strong* 
faith produced patience under his keenest sufferings; and 
patience, by these trials, so had her perfect work in his 
soul, as to beget in him the most complete submission to 
the will of his covenant-God. This holy submission 
shone with great splendor under one of his severest 
trials, when Shimei cursed him as he went up mount 
Olivet, weeping and barefoot, and his head uncovered. 
" Let him curse," said he to the few servants that were 
•with him, " because the Lord hath bidden him" Thus 
fully submissive under the hand of the Almighty, he 
cheerfully bore the indignation of the Lord. Taught 
to eye his God, by faith, as the author, for wise ends and 
purposes, of all his sorrows, he appeals to him under 



132 

the greatest trial, and says, " I was dumb, I opened not 
my mouth " to murmur or complain, "because thou 
didst it." The pious christian, thus viewing king David's 
conduct under trials, desires to go and do likewise. 

The christian finds it no less profitable to his afflicted 
spirit, when exercised with sore trials, to call to mind 
the patience and submission of the first Apostles, confes- 
sors' and martyrs of Christ, left upon record in the New 
Testament. He particularly considers the character 
and behaviour of the holy Apostle Paul, under all the 
load of that suffering cross, laid upon him by his divine. 
Master, and the weight of those reproaches, bonds, and 
imprisonments, that awaited him in every place. With 
what holy complacency and perfect submission does he 
speak of the ordination of his once suffering, but now 
exalted Lord J " And now, behold, I go bound in the 
Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall 
befal me there ; save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth 
in every city, saying, that bonds and afflictions wait for 
me : but none of these things move me, neither count I 
my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my 
course with joy, and the ministry which I have received 
of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of 
of God. The christian unceasingly admires this charm- 
ing picture of excellence and submission, so strikingly 
exhibited in that holy man. And, though he falls infi- 
nitely short of that perfect model of submission, he de- 
sires, as far as in him lies, to imitate and copy after the 
fair and lovely original. 

The most extraordinary instance of submission to the 
will of God, I remember to have met with in all my 
reading, and which I shall here present to the christian's 
view ,«4s the case of the excellent Fenelon, Archbishop 
of Cambray, on the death of the Duke of Burgundy., 






138 

Viewing the corpse of the Duke, he is said to have spoke 
to this effect. <c There lies my beloved Prince, and all 
my worldly hopes lie there buried with him : he loved me 
with all the ardor of a dutiful son, nor was his affection 
lost ; for I loved him with all the tender affection of the 
most indulgent and affectionate father in return. But, 
would the turning of a single straw bring him back to 
life, I would not be the turner of that straw for a thou- 
sand worlds in opposition to the will of God." 

From such glorious examples the christian is stirred 
up and excited to faith, patience, and divine submission 
to the holy will of his Lord ; and thus he becomes a fol- 
lower of them, of their acquiescence in and resignation 
to the divine will, who, through faith and patience, now 
inherit the promises, This I consider as one of the most 
glorieus and incontestible evidences of a principle of 
real and true grace in the soul, and the best of all proofs 
that the heart, will, and affections are in unison with the 
mind and will of God. The more the christian, by 
every varied dispensation of a supreme providence, 
finds his soul and his whole man subdued to the cross of 
Christ, by so much the more does he learn this full sub- 
mission to his Father's holy and righteous will, and to 
own that all his works are truth, and his ways judgment j 
that in every deep dispensation just and true is he" 

Next to the grace of humble and entire submission to 
the will of God under every diversified scene and trial 
of life, I would place the grace of spiritual-mindedness \ 
While to be " carnally minded is death" the christian 
knows, in some measure, "to be spiritually minded is 
life and peace." I say he knows it in some measure ; for 
notwithstanding he knows and experiences the grace of 
God ill truth, he finds too much of the old man and the 
Carnal mind still remain in him. This arises partly from 



134 

the strength of his inbred corruptions and the body of sin 
and death within him, and partly from the weakness of 
his faith and other graces. This sense of in-dwelling 
sin and the remains of a carnal mind often impede the 
christian's progress heaven-wards and make him groan 
for deliverance, being burdened. Even the great Apos- 
tle himself felt this weight, and groaned under this bur- 
den, and went so far as to say, " / am carnal, sold under 
sin" A deep feeling of his spiritual condition made 
him cry out, " O wretched man that I am, who shall 
deliver me from this body of sin and death ?" The chris- 
tian feels the same pressure, and cries out for deliver- 
ance in the same manner. For he is fully satisfied, a 
carnal mind can never enter into heaven, or even, if 
admitted, would be found incapable of relishing or en- 
joying the spiritual delights and sublime employ of the 
heavenly state. For as nothing can possibly rise higher 
than its own level ; so neither can he arise to the con- 
templation of pure and spiritual objects, unless his mind 
is spiritualized and prepared for those purer joys. It 
is, therefore, a further gracious design, aim, and end, 
of the God of all grace, in and by the trials and deep dis- 
pensations of the christian, to spiritualize his mind, and 
raise his heart more from earth and earthly objects, that 
he may set his affections on things above. He finds, by 
daily experience, that his mind is too low and grovel- 
ling ; that he is too carnal and worldly ; that he lives far 
beneath his high and dignified privileges, as a christian ; 
and too frequently cries in the language of holy Paul, 
" lam carnal, sold under sin." This is contrary to his 
new nature and his high birth fromabove. Nor would he 
have it so. It is rather his grief and burden. He 
mourns over it, prays and strives against it ; and says, 
who shall deliver me ? This the Lord sees, as the work 
of his own grace, and the operation of his Spirit, in the 
christian's heart. (Rom. 8. ch.) Hence, the God of 



135 

love, to answer his own prayer, remove his cause of 
complaint, and satisfy his soul in the fulfilment of his 
holy desires, sends the cross, the trial, affliction, or 
temptation, which, in his infinite wisdom and love, he 
sees best calculated to draw away his heart from earthly 
objects and all sublunary joys ; to raise his whole man 
above, and spiritualize all his noble faculties and pow- 
ers, and effectually draw his soul into closer communion 
and fellowship with his Lord and God. The cross of 
Christ, therefore, becomes the christian's highest glory 9 
not only in itself, as the appointed cross of Christ ; but 
also in its gracious effects, fruits, and consequences, to 
his own soul, in drawing his heart nearer to his God, 
and spiritualizing his mind and affections, and all the 
faculties and powers of his soul, that he may be thereby 
rendered more capable of enjoying the presence and 
smile of his God. 

I shall only take notice of one more gracious aim ? pur~ 
pose, and end, the Lord, in tender love and mercy, 
seems to accomplish and fulfil by all the sorrows and 
afflictions of the pious christian ; and that is entirely to 
crucify him to the world, that as b} the word and power 
of his grace, and the blessing of his cross ,he is effectual- 
ly weaned from all terrestrial objects and things : so,un-» 
der the benign influence of his spirit and love, his whole 
soul may be sublimed, and brought into closest contact^ 
even while on earth, with his God, as the best proof of his 
growing meetness for the glorious beatific vision of his 
Lord above. The christian's views and ideas run high, 
as to the society, employment, and glory of the blessed 
inhabitants of the upper world. He not only knows, 
that all his unruly passions and tempers must be sub- 
dued ; his corruptions mortified ; and the reign, power, 
and love of sin and the old man overcome ; but also* 
$hat,under the celestial influence of grace, and the work 



136 

of the divine Spirit within him, he must be made meet 
for the inheritance of the saints hi light. As he draws 
nearer to the heavenly state, the Lord takes care, by the 
very cross itself, to purge away the christian's dross, to 
purify his heart, to refine, as a refiner, his mind, and 
sublime his whole soul for the enjoyment of consummate 
happiness and glory. His mind is become so well ac- 
quainted with spiritual and eternal objects, and his heart 
so occupied in the contemplation of his future prospects 
of bliss ; that, at times, he cries out, with an holy rap- 
ture, " eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have en- 
tered into the heart of man, the thing's which God hath 
prepared/or them that love him." u But God hath re- 
vealed them to us by his spiiit : for the spirit scarcheth 
all things, yea, the deep things of God." By these sub- 
lime views and happy foretastes of glory, the christian 
is more and more led to see the unsatisfying nature of 
every thing beneath or below his God, and filled with 
m,ore ardent longings for the blessed and open vision of 
his God, where the happy inhabitant shall no more say> 
I am sick, in any sense whatever. 

Before we close the subject, I would call the reader 
to view the pious christian in his last glorious and tri- 
umphant scene. We have seen him in his passage 
through life, as a spiritual pilgrim, and a stranger upon 
earth, growing up into Christ in all things, as his head of 
all direction, influence, authority, and power ; filling up 
all those various relations, in which divine providence 
has placed him, for the honor of his God, the praise and 
glory of his Saviour, and the honor of religion, both in 
the church and in the world. Let us now follow him to 
the last swellings of Jordan — over the dark and dreary 
valley of the shadow of death — and his happy landing 
on the blissful shores of a glorious immortality. As a 
Ujristian, a true believer in Christ, and a sinner united 



137 

to him, as the branch is united to the vine, by a vital 
union, he has nothing to fear. The sting of death, 
which is sin, is done away by the death of his Lord. 
He is accepted of God, and stands complete in Christ, 
his everlasting Saviour ; justified from all things, from 
which he never could have been justified by the law of 
Moses. " God himself is not ashamed to be called his 
God, for he hath prepared for him a city." His right 
and title to the heavenly inheritance is unalienably se- 
cured, as " an heir of God" and a. joint-heir with Christ, 
and by virtue of his oneness with him, as a living member 
of his mystical body. Does his Father say, "let the 
inhabitants of the rock sing?" As an inhabitant of 
Christ, the rock of everlasting ages, standing upon 
God's holy hill of Mount Zion, he sings of the heights 
and depths of redeeming love. C( O death," he cries, 
" where is thy sting ? O grave, where is thy victory ? 
The sting of death is sin ; and the strength of sin is 
the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the 
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." And, when he 
reaches the other side of the celestial hills, his very soul 
shall sing, with angels and archangels and the spirits of 
just men made perfect, "the song of Moses and the 
Lamb for ever and ever.'''' 

But, notwithstanding the high dignity and security of 
the christian's situation, and even while he is encourag- 
ed to " rejoice in hope of the glory of God ," he is, at times, 
too apt to be cast down at the thought of passing over 
the last Jordan of death. He is sometimes perplexed as 
to the time, the way, the manner, and the circumstances, 
that shall attend his dissolution. Though his life has 
been a life " of faith in the Son of God" and a life of 
holiness and devotedness to the Lord and his ways, for a 
long series of years, this by no means exempts or secures 

him from the fiery darts, the violent assaults, and strong 

S 



138 

temptations of Satan, in his last sickness and dying- 
hours. Some, indeed, of the Lord's most precious ser- 
vants are tried in a more than ordinary manner, at this 
season. The christian, after all his faith and patience, 
is sometimes afraid death should come at a time when he 
is off his guard and unprepared, or lest, like the wise vir- 
gins, when he is in a spiritual sleep or slumber, and his 
lamp un rimmed, he should be alarmed by the midnight- 
ers. " Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye iorth to 
meet him." At another season he is greatly per, lexed 
and harassed by the instigation of the enemy, about the 
way and manner of his death ; that it shall be attended 
with such awful and trying circumstances, that both his- 
faith and hope shall fail, his patience be exhausted, and 
that he shall die as a fool dieth. At another period, he is 
stronglv tempted to fear, that, in that hour, when he 
wants the presence of the Lord most, and strength from 
Christ, to carry him over the swelling of Jordan, as it 
were, dry shad; his Lord will withdraw his presence, 
withhold his aid, and suffer him either to die in the dark, 
or to sink under the mighty waves and billows, and be 
lost for ever. I may go a step further and say, the more 
eminent the christian, by so much the more is he likely 
to have the last darts of Satan thrown at him, in his 
last trying sickness and the solemnities of his dying 
hour. The aim and design of the enemy in all this no 
doubt is, that the christian himself may be unhappy ^ 
that he may be tempted to dishonor God, by speaking 
ill of his ways ; and that others, by the example of his 
trials and temptations, may be either discouraged or 
wholly deterred from seeking the Lord, now in the ac- 
cepted time, and from making trial of that " path of the 
just, which is as the shining light, that shineth more and 
more unto the perfect day." But even those precious 
saints, who endure the sharpest conflict, in their last 
scene of sickness, sorrow, and woe, through the tender 



139 

loving 1undnes3 and faithfulness of their unchanging 
God, with admiration and holy ecstacy, ex erience 
the truth of that glorious promise, " at evening time it 
shall be light" For the encouragement and comfort of 
the humble and doubting christian, I will mention a sin- 
gular instance of a truly pious and sincere female chris- 
tian. Under a deep and constant sense of her own sin- 
fulness and unworthiness before God; an awful feeling 
of the purity and holiness of God ; and the strongest 
sensibility of her own universal short-comings in his 
sight ; she not only was made to walk humbly with 
God ; but for many years in a state of painful, anxious 
fear and doubting about the safety of her spiritual con- 
dition, in the Lord's sight. To her pious christian 
friends she was in the habit of frequently expressing 
;those fears ; but, when it pkased the Supreme Disposer 
of all events to lay her upon her last bed of sickness and 
death, her doubts and fears were all removed. The 
Lord Jesus Christ himself, with all the beams of re- 
splendent brightness and glory,, broke in upon her asto- 
nished mind with such lustre and inexpressible splen- 
dor, that in the language of divine and holy rapture she 
cried, " precious Christ, precious blood, precious right- 
eousness — : and he \§my blood, and my righteousness, my 
Christ , and my all ;" — andthus,in the divine ;;lerophory 
of fai.h, entered immediately, in the full triumphs of 
faith, into the glory and joy of her Lord. 

I will now suppose the christian's race is nearly run, 
^ind that he is just at the goaL He has completed his 
generation-work on earth; he has finished his course — 
grace has refined and sublimed his soul; and now his co- 
venant-God and Father has kid him upon the bed of 
pining sickness and anguish, and has said unto him, 
■•' set thine house in order, for thou shall die and not live." 
With divine eoinposure he hears the solemn sentence 



140 

lies passive in his Father's hands, and humbly replies 
in the words of his Lord, " Father, not as I will, but 
as thou wilt — let thy will be done." Looking backward 
upon a life early devoted and dedicated to God, he 
adores the mercy and admires the grace that, at first, 
taught him to give up his whole heart to the Lord and 
his ways, and which hath kept him firm and steadfast 
unto the end. His holy soul is full of love and admir- 
ing gratitude to his adorable Saviour, that through all 
the afflictions, oppositions, persecutions, and diversified 
scenes of his life, he hath given him grace for every 
time of need, and for every service and labour of love ; 
and thatm and through allhe enabled him to be "stead- 
fast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the 
Lord, forasmuch as heknexv, and was fully assured, that 
his labour should not be vain in the Lord." And now, 
like a shock of corn fully ripe, and ready to be gathered 
into the barn, by faith he looks forwards, and with his 
staff in his hand, just stepping into the watery deep, he 
sweetly sings : 

" When I tread the verge of Jordan, 

Bid my anxious fears subside ; 
Death of deaths, and hell's destruction, 

Land me safe on Canaan's side : 
Songs of praises, songs of praises 

I will ever give to thee." 

Or, in the inexpressibly sweet and cheering poetical 
and pastoral strains of holy David : "yea, though I 
walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear 
no evil: for thou art with me ; thy rod and thy staff, they 
comfort me" (Psalm 23. 4.) In all the holy triumphs 
of faith and assured confidence in Christ, " his hope," 
with hojy serenity and divine composure of soul he 
adds, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my 
course, I have kept the faith : henceforth there is laid up 
for me a crown of righteousness, which the^ Lord, the 



141 

righteous Judge, shall give me at that day ; and not to me 
only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." 
(2 Tim. 4. 7, 8.) Because, " believing, he rejoices with, 
a joy unspeakable and full of glory : receiving the end 
of his faith, even the salvation of his soul ;" and, there- 
fore be patiently waits the promised and happy hour, 
when " an entrance shall be ministered unto him abun- 
dantly into the everlasting kingdom of his Lord and Sa- 
viour Jesus Christ;" and his glorified Lord, with a voice 
sweeter than music, shall say, " well done, good and 
faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, and 
inherit the kingdom prepared for you, by your hea- 
venly Father, as one of his blessed children, before the 
foundation of the world. " O happy hour, O glorious 
abode, he cries, (C when I shall be near and like my 
God." In the bright vision, which faith presents to his 
view, he looks beyond this vale of tears, and sees a 4 
smiling God, an exalted and glorified Redeemer, who 
has washed him in his own blood, and made him a king 
and a priest unto God and the Lamb for ever and ever — 
a throne of glory, a crown of bliss, an ensign of royalty — 
the glorious habitation of the spirits of just men made 
perfect, an innumerable company of angels, and the 
whole assembly of the first born, whose names are writ- 
ten in heaven. He hears those heavenly and angelic 
choirs all unite in one divine and extatic harmony, 
" saying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb, that 
was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and 
strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." And 
every creature, which is in heaven, and on the earth, and 
under the earth, he hears saying, " blessing, and honor, 
and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth u, on the 
throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever." Filled 
with the nearest prospects of inexpressible glory, and 
already overwhelmed with the foretastes of bliss ; he 
closes his eyes upon all terrestrial and sublunary joys, 



142 

and, taking his last farewell of all earthly objects, he 
once more says, Farewell earth ; farewell sun, and moon, 
and stars ; farewell, my dearest family and friends, with 
whom I have so often served and enjoyed my God ; 
farewell the world ; farewell the church of God ; and 
O farewell thou precious, precious book of God. "/ 
know in whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he 
is able to keep that which I have committed unto him 
against that day" Into thy hands, therefore, dear Sa- 
viour I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O 
Lord God of truth. And thus he sweetly falls asleep in 
Jesus, and enters into the consummate joys and glories 
of the paradise above. 

I will now take the liberty to request the attentive, 
reflecting, and unprejudiced reader, after the candid 
perusal of the preceding pages, to ask himself how his 
mind stands affected towards the sketch of the christian 
■character here given. Is it scriptural ? Is it natural t 
and is it just ? If this is granted, the simple enquiry is, 
does it, or does it not, in any way belong to your own 
character, as a christian ? 

In the delineation of the true christian, offered to 
your view and serious consideration, you have been call- 
ed to survey and contemplate his character and conduct, 
in the commencement of the divine life, or the beginning 
of his christian course — his holy, uniform, firm, manly, 
and steady progress through life ; conscientiously and 
scrupulously filling up all his various and numerous calls 
of duty, in all the several relations in which he stood in 
the world ; paying equal, diligent, and constant atten- 
tion to the dut.es both of the^V^ and second table — and, 
finally, you have seen him, in his last trying, but tri- 
umphant scene, made " more than a conqueror throy,gh 
Christ that loved him" 



14S 

Let each reader then say to himselr\ O my soul, doe& 
the picture drawn suit the best feelings of thy heart ? 
Are these the gracious and holy lineaments, which the 
grace of God hath stamped upon thee ? Hast thou, in 
good earnest, set out in the divine life, the christian pil- 
grimage, or begun thy christian course ? By virtue of 
thy soul's vital union with Christ, thy Head and Lord, art 
thou pressing forward, and running in his strength ? 
Hast thou, O my soul, sincerely and cordially turned' 
thy back on the world and its unmeaning trifles and fol- 
lies ? Have the unrivalled charms and the inexpressible 
glories of Jesus so fully captivated thy heart, and en- 
gaged thy whole man over to his interest, that now he 
reigns the entire monarch of thy heart, and thou ownesfc 
no other Lord but him ? And having thus begun thy 
course, does thy progress graciously appear to every 
surrounding spectator, and above all, to thine own heart ? 
Is the despised cause of Christ promoted, and his blessed 
interest advanced by thy means ? Is all thy influence in 
the world and in the church put into the scale of Christy 
and all employed for his glory ? As a devoted christian r 
art thou walking in all the laws, statutes, and ordinan- 
ces of the Lord, blameless ? Does thy light so shine be- 
fore men, that others seeing thy good works, thy works 
of faith and labors of love, are constrained by thy bright 
example to glorify thy Father which is in heaven ? Have 
the power and grace of Christ raised thy heart above the 
world's good opinion? Art thou crucified with Christ to 
every creature good ? Does thy whole life evince an 
holy deadness to all sublunary things, and art thou 
growing up into a divine meetness for glory? Is thy 
life so hid with Christ in God, as to assure thy heart: 
that, when Christ, " who is thy life, shall appear, thou 
shalt also appear with him in glory V Is thy whole soul 
so spiritualized and sublimed, that thou art patient un- 
der the rod, submissive under and fully resigned to the 



1U 

will of heaven, when God strips thee of every earthly 
comfort, and sends the last summons to call thee out of 
time into the world of Spirits? Does a living, active, 
and operative faith assure thy heart that, in that last ho- 
nest hour, thou shalt be able to say, " I have fought a 
good fight, I have kept the faith, I have finished my 
course ; henceforth there is a crown of righteousness 
laid up for me, which God the righteous Judge will give 
meat that day." If, christian reader, these are thy views 
of God and religion — of Christ, and faith alone in him — 
of holiness, happiness,and glory ; I congratulate thee on 
the safety and security of thy spiritual state and condi- 
tion. Yet a little while, and he that shall come will come 
and say to thy happy soul, " come thou blessed child of 
my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you, from 
the foundation of the world." Let the all-transporting 
prospect, christian, now warm thy heart, fire thy b >som, 
and increase the zeal and mighty ardor of thy soul in 
the work and service of thy God. It is but a little time 
thou hast to labour and work for thy divine Master : 
" work, therefore, while it is day ; because the night so 
soon cometh, when thou canst no more work for God." 
Devote thyself, thy body, soul, and spirit — thy time, 
thy talents, thy gifts, thy graces, thy all, to the honor, 
praise, and glory of thy God ; that, when the last change 
shall come, he may find thee so fully occupied in his ser- 
vice, 'till he appears, that thou mayest then have nothing 
left to do, but just to die, and be ready to meet the glo- 
rious plaudit of thy Master, " well done, good and 
faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." 



..FINIS. 



J 



ST. AUGUSTINE'S MEDITATIONS 

COAXE f THOMAS, 

PROPOSE TO RE-PRINT BY SUBSCRIPTION, 

THE 

MEDITATIONS 

OF 

ST. AUGUSTINE, 

HIS TREATISE OF THE LOVE OF GOD, SOLILO- 
QUIES A1$D MANUAL, 

TO WHICH ARE ADDED, 

SELECT CONTEMPLATIONS, 

FROM 

ST. ANSELM & ST. BERNARD ; 

MADE ENGLISH 

BY GEORGE STANHOPE, IX B. 

LATE DEAN OF CANTERBURY. 



Though tins rare and valuable book is highly esteemed 
by the pious of every denomination, it is now to be found, in 
the hands of but few, there having been no edition ol it pub- 
lished in this country. To those unacquainted with this work, 
it will be amply sufficient to satisfy them of its real merits by 
submitting to them the following respectable testimonials in 
its favor. 



NEW-YORK, JPzBRUARr 15, 1309. 
VVk cheerfully comply with the request of the publishers, 
and recommend " The Meditations of St. Augustine, trans- 
lated by Dean Stanhope,** to the patronage of the public. 

BENJAMIN MOORE, 
Bishop, oj P. E. Church, in the State of New-York 
JOHN BOWDEN, D. D. 
Professor of Moral Philosophy and Belles Lettrcs, Columbia 
College, New York. 

J. H. HOBART, D. D. 
Assistant Minister of Trinity Church, New-York.- 
JAMES KEMP, D. D. 
Rector of Great Choptank Parish, Maryland. 

The Subscriber has not had an opportunity of comparing 
the translation of the Meditations of St. Augustine, Anselm and 
Bernard, with the originals ; he will not presume therefore, 
to give to it an unqualified recommendation ; but the high 
character of Dean Stanhope, affords grounds to believe that his 
translation is a faithful one without alteration, omission or ad- 
dition : in which case it deserves the encouragement of and 
may be read by all with profit, and to their great edification in 
piety and religion. 

JOHN CARROLL, 

Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church, in the U. States. 

With the above proviso, the Subscriber recommends the 
work to the perusal of all good Christians. 

FRANCIS BEESTON, 
Of St. Peters* Church, Baltimore. 

The character and talents of St. Augustine, arc well known 
10 all who are conversant with Ecclesiastical History; aiul 
his works cannot fail to be read with advantage, by every per- 
son, who peruses them with attention. His Meditations now 
offered to the public, as rendered into English, by the Rev. 
Dr. Stanhope, will weave persuaded, tend to improve the soul. 
'And to fit « for a more acceptable and profitable intercourse 



with its Maker, and are Worthy of a place in the Library of 
every Christian. We therefore hesitate not to recommend 
them to public patronage ; especially, as the character of Dr, 
Stanhope for learning and piety, affords an ample security, 
that they hare been ably and faithfully translated. 

THOMAS J/CLAGGETT, D. D. 
Bishop, of the P. E. Churchy in Maryland. 
JOSEPH G. J. BEND, D. D. 
Rector of St. Pauls* Parish, Baltimore-, Maryland. 

The character of St. Augustine* is too well known to yq* 
quire testimonials. His praise is in all the churches. His 
writings are in high repute with every denomination of Chris- 
tians. 

The Work now offered to the Public, is among the most 
useful of his productions. It is a piece of practical devotion 
from which the man of piety will derive instruction and con- 
solation, while the man of taste and feeling, cannot but be gra- 
tified with its simple and fervent eloquence. 

It is earnestly hoped that success may attend this effort 
to introduce so valuable a manual, to the general acquaintance 
of Christians in the United States. Religious Meditation is 
certainly a very important duty ; and they who are disposed 
to acquit themselves of it, will find that time well employ ec] 
which they may devote to the perusal of these pious effusions 
*f the great and good Bishop of Hippo. 

JAMES INGLIS, 

Pastor of the first Presbyterian Church, Baltimore. 
GEORGE DASHIELL, 
Rector of St. Peters 7 Church, Baltimore 

MICHAEL COATE, 

Minister of the P. E. Methodist Church, Light -Street.,, 
Baltimore, 

WILLIAM H. WILMEK, 

Kent County, Marylavcj 



CONDITIONS. 

The Work shall be neatly printed, in one octavo volume, on 
a good paper and type. 

It shall be delivered to Subscribers at Two Dollars neatly 
bound and lettered ; to non-subscribers the price will be ad- 
vanced to two dollars and twenty-five cents. 



CO ALE §• THOMAS, 

WILL PUBLISH ABOUT THE FIRST OF JUXL. 
THE 

FIRST VOLUME 

OF THE 

MISCELLANEOUS WORKS 

OF 

OLIVER GOLDSMITH, M. B. 

With an account of his Life, and a Dissertation on his 
Poetry, by J. AIKEN, M. D. ornamented with a portrait of 
Pr. GOLDSMITH, engraved by the justly celebrated Ed- 
win 

This edition in five volumes, at one dollar per volume to 
subscribers, will be superior in typographical execution to 
any that has appeared in this country, and at a more mode- 
rate price. 

For this work C. St T. continue to receive subscriptions, 
at No. 176, Market-street, Baltimore. 






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